Wheeling, W. Va. – After playing the first two weeks on the road, the Wheeling University Women's Rugby team took Bishop Schmitt Field for the first time In 2025. The Cardinals welcomed in Ohio State in a rematch of the program's inaugural match last season. The Wheeling offense bounced back after taking their first loss last week, beating the Buckeyes 54-0.
In total, six different Cardinals got across the try line on the day And the action started in the 8th minute after Bella Gullatta Put the Cardinals on the board with a penalty kick, Wheeling would go to the outside of the field. They put the ball in Tamzin Boyce's hands and the senior sprinted it down the sideline for the first try of the day. It would be the first of two tries in the half for Boyce, making her the only cardinal on the roster with multiple tries in two different games. Her second score would come just 5 minutes later in the 13th minute as she accounted for 10 of her teams first 22 points of the day. They were her third and fourth tries of the season, after she scored two In the opener against Penn State as she continues to build off last season's success. She was one of two Cardinal starters to get on the board twice in the first half as the team built a 32-0 lead over the first 22 minutes.
The other starter to accomplish the feat was Liz Sinatra, who scored her first two tries of the 2025 season. Sinatra's First try would come in the 11th minute after Boyce got the Cardinals on the board. Like her senior counterpart, Sinatra worked the outside of the field and got an opportunity to streak down the sidelines. She touched the ball down and an unsuccessful conversion kick made it a 15-0 Wheeling lead. The game would be split into four 20 minute quarters and by the end of the first quarter Wheeling was staked to a 32-0 lead. As the Cardinals began to sub in their reserve players in the second quarter, Sinatra would once again take advantage of an opportunity. After an Ohio state penalty started a Wheeling scrum, Marissa Hudson would pitch the ball out towards the sidelines. The Cardinals hit an open Sinatra once again and she sprinted for the corner to touch the ball down. Wheeling would add one more try before the half was out and went in the locker room leading 42-0.
Scoring that final try of the first half was Camarie Brown, who made her Collegiate debut on the pitch for the Cardinals. After a hard hit tackle by Rafi Barrack to knock the ball out, Brown would pick it up and sprinted for the corner pile on. She would touch the ball down for the first five points of her Collegiate career and continued her success into the second half. She would start the new half for the Cardinals and in the 48th minute would take advantage of a similar opportunity near the try line. This time, it was a turnover created by Olivia Haas that would open the door for Brown. The Cardinals set up for a scrum 10 m out and once again Brown would drive her legs past the line and touch the ball down. It was a big day for the freshman, who scored two tries in her Collegiate debut and she looks to continue to build on her success as the season rolls on.
Three other Cardinal players would score tries on the day, including one who was also making her Collegiate debut. In the third quarter it would be Haas that started the scoring after another cause turnover by Barrack. Haas would run through a pair of Buckeye defenders to touch the ball down and extend Wheeling's lead to 47-0. The other two tries would come in the first half courtesy of freshman Emerson Callegari And sophomore Shannon Whypji. After scoring three tries in her Collegiate debut at Penn State 2 weeks ago, Callegari would start the second quarter scoring, finding the try line in the 22nd minute. It would tie her for the team lead in tries so far this 15th season, with teammate Boyce, as she continues to make an impact in her first season, the other try would come from Whypji, who ended the first half scoring with a try in the 20th minute. Whypji would also reach the four try Mark for the season, making a three-way tie atop The Cardinal leaderboards.
It would be the trio of Tamzin Boyce, Liz Sinatra, and Camarie Brown who paced the Cardinals with 10 points each on the day, with each scoring two tries. Shannon Whyjpji, Emerson Callegari, and Olivia Haas would each add five points on the day to complete the try scoring. In the kicking game, Arianna Pappas would lead the way going 1-2 on conversion kicks and finishing with two points. Bella Gullatta added five points of her own, going 1-4 on conversion kicks And 1-1 on penalty kicks, while Marissa Hudson missed the two conversions that she attempted.
The Wheeling University Women's Rugby Team returns to action on Saturday, September 20th, when they take on Mount St. Mary's with kickoff at 5 PM.
