Sports

Rugby squads prepare to reload for spring

Women get off to fresh start with victory

By Riley Donovan

Posted on April 14, 2005, at 12:00 a.m.

andrew gordon

BEAR HUG - Jennafer Malek presses forward during Sunday morning´s women´s rugby game held at Morse Field. The Black Bears cruised to a 22-0 victory over the University of Maine at Farmington.

andrew gordon

STIFF ARMED - Kylie Newman avoids a defender during Sunday morning´s women´s rugby game on Morse Field. UMaine will play in the Maine Cup on April 22.

Tim Guillerault is in his first year as head coach of the women’s rugby team, and he is off to a good start. His team opened its spring season on Sunday with a 22-0 win over Farmington.

Led by outside center Chantrelle Cousins, who scored two tries, the Black Bears outplayed the visiting Beavers on their way to the impressive shutout on Morse Field. UMaine’s stellar play on defense helped create offense and shut down the Farmington attack.

“It was the first time we’ve played since I’ve been here,” Guillerault said, who played rugby in college at UMF and also played two years of men’s league rugby. “I didn’t really know what to expect.”

While in his first year as assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Maine, Guillerault said he did not know what to expect going into Sunday’s match, he was pleased with how his team outworked its opponent.

“When the final whistle blew the other team was happy to hear it,” he said. “We were more than willing to keep playing.”

Inside center Kylie Newman and winger Erin Kearney each scored a try for UMaine as well, and fullback Sue Harsche hit a two point conversion kick from a very tough angle. While Cousins, Kearney and Newman except credit for the tries, Guillerault is quick to point out that each score was a team effort.

“If one person scored, it’s because four or five other people did something right,” Guillerault said. “The forwards as a unit did what I told them to do during the match. We’ve got a really nasty back line and the forwards job is basically to get the ball to the back line.”

The women’s rugby team will travel to Rhode Island on Saturday for the Beast of the East tournament in Portsmouth. The Black Bears know they will play at least two matches on Saturday and more on Sunday if they are able to win. While they do not know who they will be playing, Guillerault said the team is looking forward to playing.

“We’re not even worried who we are playing,” he said. “We basically have a pretty basic game plan. We work on the basics and try to be in the best shape we can be in.”

The Beast of the East tournament will feature 40 women’s teams and 40 men’s teams. Ten fields are in use at one time. Maine has traditionally had strong showings in the annual Rhode Island tournament, and this season should prove to be no different.

Guillerault, who took the place of former coach Dirk Storms, says his team is planning on winning in Rhode Island.

“Basically the idea is to always go down and plan on winning,” he said, using it as the next step to get ready for the Maine Cup.”

UMaine will travel to Cumberland on April 22 to play in the Maine Cup. The team will compete with division opponents Farmington, Bates, Bowdoin and Colby.

“It’s a tournament to see who the best team in Maine is,” Guillerault said, “so there is a pride factor there.”

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