Army West Point Athletics
Saturday, October 17
Marietta, Ga
11:30 AM
Army West Point
at
Life University
Women’s Rugby Gears Up for Meeting with Life
October 16, 2015 | Women's Rugby
WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Army West Point women's rugby squad will get a tough test this weekend as the Black Knights travel to Marietta, Ga., to meet with national powerhouse Life University.
Kickoff with the Running Eagles is set for 11:30 a.m.
HOW TO FOLLOW
As always, fan can visit www.GoArmyWestPoint.com for up-to-date information and follow the Black Knights on Twitter @ArmyWP_WRugby and Instagram @armywpwrugby.
THE GAME
The Army West Point women's rugby team will hit the road, traveling to Marietta, Ga., for a meeting with one of the nation's top teams. Life University, synonymous with rugby in the United States, will host the Black Knights at 11:30 a.m.
Army enters the contest with a mark of 4-2, competing to an unblemished record of 4-0 in conference action. The team's only two losses have come to national powerhouses Penn State and Lindenwood.
"It's just another step in that ladder of a really competitive season," said head coach Bill LeClerc. "They just turned varsity and are from a region that has actually produced some really talented athletes, so that will be really exciting. They just started their season so hopefully there's a little bit of rust there. We just need to keep on pushing forward and keep tightening up on the things that we work at during the week. We turned over a lot of ball against AIC, which really hurt us. We worked extensively on it this week and we would like to see an improvement in that area. If we do that, then we should have a good day. If we don't and we're turning the ball over, then against a team like Life, we'll be in for a long afternoon."
ARMY'S LAST TIME OUT
Army is coming off a thrilling 19-17 victory over conference rival American International in a night matchup from Anderson Rugby Complex last weekend.
"It was exciting for everyone except the coach I think," said head coach Bill LeClerc. "It's good to win games like that. It shows a lot of grit and determination. It shows that all of the little things that they've been doing pay off; all of the conditioning, all of the lifting and doing it together for a long period of time has given this team a really strong bond and they're not going to quit. They've been tested again and again and they've risen to the challenge, so hopefully they'll rise again."
The Black Knights got on the board first as Kirsten Redmon found the try zone in the seventh minute. Her score was converted by Nicole Heavirland, putting Army up 7-0.
American International responded in the 11th minute, with a try and successful conversion to tie the game at 7-7. They would take the lead in the 22nd minute and entered the break with the 12-7 lead.
Army came out strong in the second half as Heavirland earned a try in the 44th minute to tie the game at 12-12.
AIC, however, would respond in the 55th minute, regaining the lead with a try.
The tide turned in Army's favor in the 69th minute when plebe Zye Crittington found an open gap in the middle and dotted down between the goal posts. Heavirland kicked in the easy conversion and the Black Knights took the 19-17 lead.
Both teams threatened in the final minutes of the contest, but the Army defense held strong as the Black Knights earned the 19-17 win.
ARMY WHO TO WATCH: ALLIE MCDONALD
No. 8 Allie McDonald leads by example on and off the pitch for the Black Knights, as the Wentzville, Mo., native brings an element of tough, physical play to each Army contest.
"She's one of our dominant lineout forces," said head coach Bill LeClerc. "She's strong off the back of a scrum, she has great work ethic and she's a really powerful runner with the ball and she can get some really good go forward stuff. She has sort of taken that No. 8 jersey and made it her own and she's been obviously a really strong, solid starting member of this team. She leads by doing."
CLARK GARNERS AAA RECOGNITION
Three first half scores in the Army West Point women's rugby team's 43-17 victory over conference rival Norwich earned firstie Lindy Clark Army Athletic Association Athlete of the Week recognition.
This is the first career AAA Athlete of the Week honor for Clark and the second consecutive week in which a member of the women's rugby team has earned the distinction.
Clark opened up the scoring for the Black Knights in the eighth minute, cutting the Norwich lead to 10-5. She scored again in the 11th minute to tie the game, as teammate Nicole Heavirland converted the score to put Army up 12-10.
The Cadets regained the lead with a try and conversion in the 16th minute, but Clark's third try of the afternoon in the 37th minute tied it up once again. Heavirland converted her second kick of the afternoon to send the Black Knights into the half with the two-point advantage. From that point on, Army held Norwich off the scoresheet, earning its first win over the national powerhouse in 15s action.
HEAVIRLAND COPS AAA HONORS
After leading the Army West Point women's rugby squad to a 29-24 victory over conference foe Quinnipiac, Heavirland was named the Army Athletic Association Athlete of the Week on Sept. 14.
This is the first AAA Athlete of the Week nod of the season and second of her career for Heavirland.
Competing in her first collegiate 15s game, Heavirland scored the opening try of the game for the Black Knights in the 38th minute of action, sending Army into the break down 14-7.
With the Bobcats holding a 24-12 advantage mid-way through the second half, Heavirland began her scoring onslaught, rattling off three straight tries in the 61st, 69th and 82nd minutes.
In the 69th minute she tied the game at 24-24 after successfully converting her own try. With stoppage time expiring, she found the try zone in the 82nd minute to put the Black Knights on top 29-24 and ensure the win.
In total, the Whitefish, Mont., native accounted for 22 of the team's 29 points on the afternoon.
MEET YOUR CAPTAINS
Leading the 2015-16 squad will be captain Mariah Caid-Loos and vice-captain Odocha.
Caid-Loos posted four tries in 15s action in the 2014-15 season before falling to injury. Odocha earned three tries in 15s action and four on the 7s pitch.
Since the start of the 2015-16 year, Caid-Loos has posted one score, while Odocha has earned three.
CLASS RINGS
The Class of 2016 received their class rings in a ceremony held at Trophy Point on Aug. 28, 2015. A time-honored West Point tradition, the Class of 2016's rings contain gold from 356 West Point graduates donated to the West Point Association of Graduates in addition to steel melted down from the World Trade Center.
UP NEXT
Army will return to Anderson Rugby Complex next weekend, hosting conference rival Norwich is a much-anticipated rematch of Army's early-season 43-17 stomping of the Cadets. The perennial powerhouse in the conference, Norwich has struggled of late, dropping matches to the Black Knights and AIC.
Army battled to a 43-17 road win over the Cadets on Sept. 19 storming back from a 10-0 deficit in the early minutes of competition.
The game will be broadcast live on Knight Vision with Zack Daly on the call. Kickoff with Norwich is set for 12 p.m.
Kickoff with the Running Eagles is set for 11:30 a.m.
HOW TO FOLLOW
As always, fan can visit www.GoArmyWestPoint.com for up-to-date information and follow the Black Knights on Twitter @ArmyWP_WRugby and Instagram @armywpwrugby.
THE GAME
The Army West Point women's rugby team will hit the road, traveling to Marietta, Ga., for a meeting with one of the nation's top teams. Life University, synonymous with rugby in the United States, will host the Black Knights at 11:30 a.m.
Army enters the contest with a mark of 4-2, competing to an unblemished record of 4-0 in conference action. The team's only two losses have come to national powerhouses Penn State and Lindenwood.
"It's just another step in that ladder of a really competitive season," said head coach Bill LeClerc. "They just turned varsity and are from a region that has actually produced some really talented athletes, so that will be really exciting. They just started their season so hopefully there's a little bit of rust there. We just need to keep on pushing forward and keep tightening up on the things that we work at during the week. We turned over a lot of ball against AIC, which really hurt us. We worked extensively on it this week and we would like to see an improvement in that area. If we do that, then we should have a good day. If we don't and we're turning the ball over, then against a team like Life, we'll be in for a long afternoon."
ARMY'S LAST TIME OUT
Army is coming off a thrilling 19-17 victory over conference rival American International in a night matchup from Anderson Rugby Complex last weekend.
"It was exciting for everyone except the coach I think," said head coach Bill LeClerc. "It's good to win games like that. It shows a lot of grit and determination. It shows that all of the little things that they've been doing pay off; all of the conditioning, all of the lifting and doing it together for a long period of time has given this team a really strong bond and they're not going to quit. They've been tested again and again and they've risen to the challenge, so hopefully they'll rise again."
The Black Knights got on the board first as Kirsten Redmon found the try zone in the seventh minute. Her score was converted by Nicole Heavirland, putting Army up 7-0.
American International responded in the 11th minute, with a try and successful conversion to tie the game at 7-7. They would take the lead in the 22nd minute and entered the break with the 12-7 lead.
Army came out strong in the second half as Heavirland earned a try in the 44th minute to tie the game at 12-12.
AIC, however, would respond in the 55th minute, regaining the lead with a try.
The tide turned in Army's favor in the 69th minute when plebe Zye Crittington found an open gap in the middle and dotted down between the goal posts. Heavirland kicked in the easy conversion and the Black Knights took the 19-17 lead.
Both teams threatened in the final minutes of the contest, but the Army defense held strong as the Black Knights earned the 19-17 win.
ARMY WHO TO WATCH: ALLIE MCDONALD
No. 8 Allie McDonald leads by example on and off the pitch for the Black Knights, as the Wentzville, Mo., native brings an element of tough, physical play to each Army contest.
"She's one of our dominant lineout forces," said head coach Bill LeClerc. "She's strong off the back of a scrum, she has great work ethic and she's a really powerful runner with the ball and she can get some really good go forward stuff. She has sort of taken that No. 8 jersey and made it her own and she's been obviously a really strong, solid starting member of this team. She leads by doing."
CLARK GARNERS AAA RECOGNITION
Three first half scores in the Army West Point women's rugby team's 43-17 victory over conference rival Norwich earned firstie Lindy Clark Army Athletic Association Athlete of the Week recognition.
This is the first career AAA Athlete of the Week honor for Clark and the second consecutive week in which a member of the women's rugby team has earned the distinction.
Clark opened up the scoring for the Black Knights in the eighth minute, cutting the Norwich lead to 10-5. She scored again in the 11th minute to tie the game, as teammate Nicole Heavirland converted the score to put Army up 12-10.
The Cadets regained the lead with a try and conversion in the 16th minute, but Clark's third try of the afternoon in the 37th minute tied it up once again. Heavirland converted her second kick of the afternoon to send the Black Knights into the half with the two-point advantage. From that point on, Army held Norwich off the scoresheet, earning its first win over the national powerhouse in 15s action.
HEAVIRLAND COPS AAA HONORS
After leading the Army West Point women's rugby squad to a 29-24 victory over conference foe Quinnipiac, Heavirland was named the Army Athletic Association Athlete of the Week on Sept. 14.
This is the first AAA Athlete of the Week nod of the season and second of her career for Heavirland.
Competing in her first collegiate 15s game, Heavirland scored the opening try of the game for the Black Knights in the 38th minute of action, sending Army into the break down 14-7.
With the Bobcats holding a 24-12 advantage mid-way through the second half, Heavirland began her scoring onslaught, rattling off three straight tries in the 61st, 69th and 82nd minutes.
In the 69th minute she tied the game at 24-24 after successfully converting her own try. With stoppage time expiring, she found the try zone in the 82nd minute to put the Black Knights on top 29-24 and ensure the win.
In total, the Whitefish, Mont., native accounted for 22 of the team's 29 points on the afternoon.
MEET YOUR CAPTAINS
Leading the 2015-16 squad will be captain Mariah Caid-Loos and vice-captain Odocha.
Caid-Loos posted four tries in 15s action in the 2014-15 season before falling to injury. Odocha earned three tries in 15s action and four on the 7s pitch.
Since the start of the 2015-16 year, Caid-Loos has posted one score, while Odocha has earned three.
CLASS RINGS
The Class of 2016 received their class rings in a ceremony held at Trophy Point on Aug. 28, 2015. A time-honored West Point tradition, the Class of 2016's rings contain gold from 356 West Point graduates donated to the West Point Association of Graduates in addition to steel melted down from the World Trade Center.
UP NEXT
Army will return to Anderson Rugby Complex next weekend, hosting conference rival Norwich is a much-anticipated rematch of Army's early-season 43-17 stomping of the Cadets. The perennial powerhouse in the conference, Norwich has struggled of late, dropping matches to the Black Knights and AIC.
Army battled to a 43-17 road win over the Cadets on Sept. 19 storming back from a 10-0 deficit in the early minutes of competition.
The game will be broadcast live on Knight Vision with Zack Daly on the call. Kickoff with Norwich is set for 12 p.m.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Rugby
/ Women's Rugby
/ Women's Rugby
/ Women's Rugby
/ Women's Rugby
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