Wheeling, W. Va- Coming into tonight's contest, second-ranked Wheeling Women's Rugby (7-0) has outscored their opponents 331-31. After tonight, 109 more points can be added to the Cardinal's side as they pick up a humongous shutout win over the Kent State Golden Flashes. Wheeling picked up their third consecutive shutout in their last regular season home contest, along with a victory for the seniors.
The Cardinals took only two minutes to draw first blood. Alexis Dallas made quick work of the KSU defense to score her first of many tries of the evening. Bella Gullatta kicked it through the poles to make it 7-0. Only three minutes later, senior Jill Stewart, honored in the Senior Night pregame ceremony, stormed through the Golden Flashes for her first try of the night. Kent State attempted to get down the field, but the relentless Wheeling attack did not allow it. Ema Tai fought her way into the try zone, making it 17-0 after two missed Gullatta conversion kicks.
The Golden Flashes took possession again but soon coughed it up to Joelle Taylor. She bulldozed defenders for her only try of the match to go up 24-0 after a successful Gullatta kick. Turnovers cost the Flashes many points, as the subsequent two Wheeling tries directly resulted from them. Kayla Castillo and Gullatta scored three and a half minutes apart from each other to extend the lead to 38-0. Kent State continued to fight but surrendered the ball more on two separate scrums. Dallas and Alli Davis capitalized on Kent State's errors and dove across the line for a try each. Gullatta hit both kicks, making six of eight conversions in the first half. Following the onslaught, it was 52-0 to go into the break.
They were sadly mistaken if the Golden Flashes thought it could not get worse. Wheeling came out even more energized, scoring five tries in 13 minutes. Gullatta, Tai, and Davis all found the try zone again. Dakota Burgess and the other Senior Night honoree, Liz Sinatra, recorded one try a piece. Gullatta converted two of the five conversion kicks during that time to drastically go up 82-0. Kent State was determined to march down the field, but Wheeling quickly halted their efforts. Dallas had other plans as she ripped off two additional tries in about five and a half minutes. The scoreboard read 96-0 in favor of the Cardinals, breaking their program record in points scored in the 69th minute. In the inaugural home opener, the Cardinals racked up 89 points vs Emory & Henry. Now, that game was an afterthought compared to the team's performance in this match.
The crowd wanted more. They demanded the century mark, and the Cardinals delivered. Wheeling Women's Rugby reached another milestone in the 75th minute: they recorded 100+ points. The scoreboard struggled to display the quantity Wheeling scored as Stewart crossed the line to make it happen. The Golden Flashes' defense bent once more before the final whistle as the Cardinals scored off another KSU turnover. Burgess crossed the line for the last time, Gullatta's kick was good, and Wheeling walked away with a monstrous 109-0 win.
In the dismantling of Kent State, Bella Gullatta went 12 for 17 on conversion kicks to a total of 34 points. Alexis Dallas finished with four tries for 20 points. Jill Stewart, Ema Tai, Alli Davis, and Dakota Burgess all registered two tries each, adding up to 40 points. Liz Sinatra, Joelle Taylor, and Kayla Castillo each recorded a try for 15 combined points. Wheeling Women's Rugby will play its last regular-season game against eighth-ranked Walsh University in North Canton, Ohio, on Saturday, November 2nd. The game time is to be determined.
