Wheeling, W. Va. - The six-game homestand continued for the Wheeling University Women's Rugby team (3-1) on Saturday when they welcomed in Mount St. Mary. The Cardinals entered the game averaging 51.0 points per game, and that offense continued rolling as Wheeling took down Mount St. Mary's 62-0. Eight different Cardinals would get in on the scoring effort as the team won their 14th straight game played at Bishop Schmitt Field.
Both defenses started strong early on, with the two teams combining for four turnovers over the first five minutes, and it would be Wheeling that came out with the ball. After gaining possession off a Mountaineers lineout, they got the ball to their captain Ema Tai, who pounded across the try line. Bella Gullatta would attempt the conversion kick and sailed it through the uprights as Wheeling took a 7-0 lead. Mount St. Mary's would kick-off to the Cardinals and Wheeling's offense was relentless continuing their push. This time, it was a off pass to Tamzin Boyce down the sidelines that got them on the board as she used her speed to score her sixth try of the year, and another Gullatta conversion kick had the Cardinals out to a 14-0 lead. Gullatta would add three more points in the 17th minute with her first Penalty Kick of the day and as the 20-minute mark ticked by, Wheeling had a 17-0 advantage on the scoreboard.
In the 22nd minute, it would be another one of Wheeling's captains taking the lead as Alexis Dallas benefited from a Mount St. Mary's penalty. Dallas would get the ball across the try line for her first score of the day and the Cardinals were staked to a 22-0 lead. The Cardinals had four different players score their first four tries and that trend of spreading the ball continued throughout the half. In the 35th minute, it was Tocarra Nelson who got across the line after the Cardinal defense forced a turnover. It was her first try of the season, and another missed conversion kick kept it a 27-0 Wheeling lead. The Cardinals defense forced one more turnover before the half was out, and Wheeling got the ball to their breakout freshman Emerson Callegari. Callegari would get across the try line and Gullatta would kick through the conversion kick and the Cardinals headed into the halftime break with a 34-0 advantage.
As they came out for the second half, Wheeling would start to sub in some of their reserve players, and freshman Rafi Barrack took advantage. Just four minutes into the half, a Mount turnover gave Barrack the ball and she would do the rest scoring her first try of the 15's season. Gullatta added the conversion kick and Wheeling took a 41-0 advantage. It was the first of back-to-back tries for the freshman, as 15 minutes later she would receive the ball off a Mount scrum that Wheeling would win. Barrack got across the try line for the second time on the day, and another successful conversion would have the Cardinals with a 48-0 lead with 24 minutes to play. After having a big showing on defense last time out, Barrack showed her offensive ability as she continues to push for a spot on varsity.
Wheeling would score one more time in the half after a strong push from the Cardinals helped them win a Mount scrum. The Cardinals would get the ball to Riley Bonds, who used her legs to do the rest as she got into the try zone for her first score of the 2025 season. Gullatta followed with the conversion kick and the Cardinals would bring the game to its final score of 62-0. With the Cardinal scoring done, it was up to the Wheeling defense to hold the rest of the way. The Cardinals did not allow Mount to score, forcing four Mountaineer turnovers over the final 16 minutes of play. The Cardinals would pick-up their third shutout of the season and the Cardinals would win by the final score of 62-0.
Leading the scoring effort for the Cardinals was Bella Gullatta, who finished with 17 points on the day from the kicking tee. She would go 9-10 on conversion kicks on the day, while making the lone penalty kick she attempted on the day. Rafi Barrack was the Cardinal's leading try scorer, pushing across the try line twice in the game, the first two tries of her collegiate career, as she finished with 10 points. The final points came courtesy of Ema Tai, Alli Davis, Tamzin Boyce, Alexis Dallas, Tocarra Nelson, Emerson Callegari, and Riley Bonds, who each finished with five points on the day.
The Wheeling University Women's Rugby team returns to action on Saturday, September 27th, when they take on Adrian College with kick-off at 5 PM.
