The College's Men's Rugby Club participated in the Liberty Tournament, hosted by Media Rugby Club on Sept. 13, and placed first in their division and second overall, taking home the silver cup.
In the first game, the Lions played the University of Scranton Norsemen, defeating them 7-0. The College then faced the Albright College defeating them 19-5. Two of the tries were tallied in the final 10 minutes of the Albright game.
"We played very well," senior loose-head prop Mohammed Taha said. "We totally destroyed Albright, that was the highlight."
The twelve teams that participated in the tournament are separated into three divisions: red, white and blue, according to skill.
The College's 14-7 victory against St. Joseph's University brought them the first place title in their division, the white division.
The spoils of the tournament's final game went to Temple University, blue division, with a final score of 35-19.
"We entered the tournament to get some practice under our belt before starting the season," Josh Ganz, senior wing said.
"Everyone was impressed," added Ganz. "Even the B-side team surprised us with how well they played."
In the tournament overall, Rick Nuss, senior inside center, Ken Johnsen, senior full back, Chris Sedlak, senior wing and Doug Adams, junior wing, all scored two tries for the Lions. Mike Chiumento, sophomore prop, also had a try.
Upcoming Game
The men will face the Lock Haven University Eagles on Sept. 23 at 1 p.m.
Women's Rugby
The Women's Rugby Club, in a home-field effort, put up a fight in a scrimmage against the Princeton University A-Side team this past Saturday, Sept. 13.
The Tigers beat the Lions 19-0 in their first game as a Division II team.
Jen Amato, senior loose-end prop, remembers her first game two years ago against the Princeton A-side, "We lost about 73-to-0."
"The fact that we lost by only 19 points is impressive and shows how much we've grown as a team," Amato added.
During the first half Princeton was on held to the Lions side of the field with the exception of one try, tallied by the Tigers.
In the second half, the Lions threw in all of their substitute players. Amato said, this was to get everyone practice for next week's game, which will be an important one.
Throughout the scrimmage, several Lions players, including senior flankers Val Vaccaro and Vanessa Polizzi and senior inside center Grace Rarich, had breakaways toward the try-zone but were pushed back into their own zone by the Tigers.
Upcoming Game
The women will be playing their first official game of the 2003 season against St. Joeseph's University, their biggest rival, at home at the Green Lane fields on Saturday, Sept. 20.
St. Joeseph's, a Division II team, placed first in the Westchester Tournament last spring. The College took second place.
