Wheeling, W. Va. - On Saturday, the National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) 15's National playoffs made a stop in Wheeling, West Virginia. The Wheeling University Women's Rugby team (11-0) hosted Penn State University in the NCR National Semifinal match and the Cardinals would come out on top 53-10. The Cardinals are making their second trip to the NCR National Title game in their second season as they look to become just the third team in NCR history to win back-to-back National Titles as they take on Southern Nazarene in a rematch of last year's title game.
Both team's defenses would hold strong over the first 15 minutes of play, with neither team able to get anything going. The Cardinal defense would come out aggressive, and were called for several offsides penalties early on. They would make the adjustment and, in the 16th minute, a penalty for the Nittany Lions would get Wheeling the ball back. Stitch Savielo would get the ball near the goal line, and pounded her way across the try line for the first score of the day. Bella Gullatta would send the conversion kick through the uprights and the Cardinals were staked to a 7-0 lead. Wheeling would get the ball back on the ensuing kick-off, and a scrum would set them up in enemy territory. The Cardinals would get the ball to the outside, where Emerson Callegari picked it up and ran across the try line for the second score of the day. Another Gullatta conversion would make it a 14-0 Wheeling lead as the 20th minute ticked away.
After allowing two Cardinal scores, Penn State would get on the board in the 27th minute, when Kylie Heichman sent through a conversion kick that made it a 14-3 game. The Cardinals would look to answer, and would get that response four minutes later as a Penn State penalty set the Cardinals up for a scrum. They would once again head towards the sideline and Riley Bonds would get her hands on the ball. Bonds would dive across the corner of the try zone and the Cardinals advantage grew to 19-3. The ensuing conversion would end up sailing wide and the Cardinals would add one more score before the half. It would come in the 35th minute with the Nittany Lions within 20-meters of the Cardinal try line. Alli Davis would pick pocket the ball and take it the distance to the try line. Bella Gullatta would sail through the conversion kick and, after a lengthy injury delay, halftime was called and the Cardinals would lead 26-3.
As they came out for the second half, it would once again be Gullatta taking the kicking game as she lined up for a penalty kick at the 48 minute mark. She would sail it through the uprights and the Cardinals would build their lead to 29-3 to start the new half. The Cardinals woudl turn to Davis once again for their first try of the half and it was another long run that got it done. This time, it would come off a scrum and Davis would get the ball and run along the sidelines. She would cross the try line and touched the ball down in the middle of the field before Gullatta kicked through the conversion to make it a 36-3 game. Penn State would attempt a Penalty Kick that sailed wide of the uprights and as the final 20 minutes ticked by Wheeling was still holding a 33-point advantage.
In that 60th minute, Bri Lomu would get on the scoresheet, getting across the try line for the first time on the night. She would use her speed to get up the sideline and touched the ball down in the middle of the field. Alexis Dallas would add her first try of the day six minutes later and Gullatta would make up for the miss, putting her kick through to make it 46-3. The conversion kick would end up failing and the Cardinals lead sat at 41-3. The Nittany Lions scored their lone try in the 71st minute that made it a 46-10 game as the Cardinals looked to officially put the game on ice. It would come in the 78th minute when Gullatta caused a turnover and took the ball the rest of the way. She would cross the try line for the first time on the night, rounding out the day as the Cardinals won 53-10.
Leading the way for the cardinals was Bella Gullatta, who finished with 22 points on the night. She would finish with one try while hitting her lone conversion kick and going 5-8 on conversion kicks to round out the day. Alli Davis finished behind her with two tries and 10 points on the night to lead the scoring effort. Stitch Savielo, Emerson Callegari, Riley Bonds, Bri Lomu, and Alexis Dallas each crossed the try line with one try and five points each in the effort.
The Wheeling University Women's Rugby team returns to action on Saturday, December 6th, when they take on Southern Nazarene in the 2025 NCR D1 National Championships in Houston, Texas.
