UMWRFC Beats BC 57-0 at Home Opening

Final Score UMass 57- BC 0

UMWRFC started the season off strong and got their first conference win against Boston College this Saturday at their home opener. Currently, UMWRFC is third in the CRAA D1 Northeast conference and 8th overall in the division.

Setting the tone for UMass sophomore flyhalf, Emma Cullen, scored two tries in the first 10 minutes. Followed by senior prop, Tess Downes, earning UMWRFC another 5 points. Sam Broglio, sophomore 2nd row, made the conversion, gaining the UMWRFC 2 points. Minutes later, Alexis Edozie, senior flank, added 5 more points to the scoreboard for UMass. Sam Broglio followed up with another try for UMass, with Rebecca Ciaffi, freshman fullback, making the conversion.

Alexis Edozie got the second half going by earning UMass another 5 points. Sam Broglio added an additional two points with her conversion. Jess Durkee, junior center and 2nd row, scored her first try with the team. Rebecca Ciaffi then made her second conversion of the game. Erin Bergeron, senior wing, finished off the game with two tries, each one followed up by Rebecca Ciaffi making the conversions. UMass totaled 57 points, and did not allow BC any opportunities to get points on the board.

Senior captain, Maddie Mulkern, commented on the match stating “I was really impressed with the level of intensity we brought to the field on Saturday. There are definitely areas we can improve on but I was proud of our scrappiness in contact and our ability to adjust and fix mistakes we made early on as the game progressed. It was a great first showing and I'm excited to see what else we can do!”

President Tess Downes added on saying, “I thought it was a great way to start off the season, and I’m so proud of everyone and all the hard work they put in”. Bella Pomeroy, senior captain, stated “Despite having a lot of new players on the team, I thought we worked well chemistry wise, and I’m excited to see where we go from here”.

Zoe Kim, coach of UMWRFC, provided her insight on the match saying, “I think overall things went well, and I'm very proud of everyone. It’s very clear that this is a team full of heart and that is eager, yet willing to work, to win. This was a great learning experience for us, and all things considered a great first game. Now, it’s about fine tuning things and working out the kinks before our next game in a couple weeks. There’s definitely a lot of potential and skill on this team, it’s just a matter of finding the right spot for each player and connecting as a team. I’m looking forward to seeing what the rest of the season has in store for us. This is just the start for us, and I think it's only up from here.”

Emma Cullen was awarded player of the match for the UMWRFC. When asked her thoughts on the game she said “I thought it was a very impressive first game and the energy was unmatched. We had great communication, we were physical, and didn’t shy away from contact. Although the game was a strong start to the season there’s always places to improve. I would love to see us stay energized in the late game. Cutting down on 50/50 passes and still committing to tackles even when we get tired. Besides that, I think this team is going to be scary and I’m excited for the season!"

Zoe Kim commented on Emma’s performance stating “Emma has impeccable field awareness, she knows what to do when, and she’s just one of the players you can put anywhere on the field and they will succeed. You would never know this is her second 15s season, she plays like she’s been doing this for decades. She remains calm and composed under pressure, and she’s aggressive both offensively and defensively. She set the tone for the team at the start of the game, and she did a great job setting the team up for success. I think she had an amazing game and proved why she deserved the title of player of the match.”

We hope to see all of you at our game against Northeastern: Sunday, October 16th at 3:00pm on Carter Field.

In the meantime, we will be working hard and getting hungry.