Bowdoin girls got game. That's the only way to sum up the twin victories for the women's rugby team last Saturday.
Focusing on speed and skill, the Polar Bears drove to a 27-0 victory over Colby, reminiscent of their 34-0 victory over the Mules last year. Although their opponents stiffened up and offered stauncher resistance in the second half, the team continued to dominate throughout the match. Fielding a younger set of players for the second game of the day, Bowdoin found itself to be at an early disadvantage against Farmington but refocused their efforts after an initial 5-0 deficit to win 12-5.
The Colby match proved to be much tougher than last year's 79-0 rout, but it provided newer players with much needed experience and proved to be an enjoyable experience for all.
"Overall, Saturday was a wonderful day of rugby for everyone who participated—for both new players and returning players from Bowdoin as well as the Colby and UMF teams that we hosted...For our first games of the season, we saw some great tenacity, teamwork and a lot of learning...The day was a great success, with camaraderie and further playing experience for all," said senior co-captain Hannah Larson.
Lacking the size and physical power of other teams, Bowdoin needed to adopt wilier tactics to maximize their performance. According to senior Elsbeth Paige-Jeffers, "The women on our team this season aren't particularly big, but we are equipped with a fast backline and a versatile forward pack. As such, our game has become about smart handling and reading of the field. There were moments in our first game on Saturday when we were really proactive about filling holes, supporting each other, and making smart offloads, and it was in those moments that we were most successful."
Those are the kinds of moves that Bowdoin is going to need for its next game versus Radcliffe College, a perennially strong team.
"Our team will face another level of challenge in our first league game this coming weekend," said Larson, perhaps remembering Bowdoin's 35-5 defeat the last time the two clubs met. Beating Radcliffe will definitely be a challenge for the team, especially with Bowdoin's players at risk of falling ill and the high number of players that are injured.
Nevertheless, Paige-Jeffers is upbeat about the team's wounded, and said, "While we're dealing with injuries, we have some strong players who provide depth and experience to the team, a great example of which is Hannah Larson, who converted her own try in one of Saturday's games," she said.
The teams will meet at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Radcliffe College.