University Heights, OH. - After batting through two tournaments and taking second place in each to start the 7's season, the Wheeling University Women's Rugby team (10-2) wrapped up their regular season with a bang on Saturday. They traveled to John Carroll University for the 7's in the Swamp Tournament, and earned their first tournament win of the season. They would go 3-0 across the three games, with the offense having a big day, scoring a combined 115 points across the three matches.
Game One: Wheeling 27, Kent State 5
With the 7's in the Swamp tournament featuring round robin play, the Cardinals were in a win and move on scenario throughout the day. They started things off against Kent State, and the defense would keep the Golden Flashes at bay throughout the first half. The Wheeling offense took advantage, getting the ball to the outside where Liz Sinatra hit a run across the try line to give the Cardinals a 5-0 lead. It was the first of three first half scores for the Cardinals, and on the second possession, it was Kylie Baigent who would get the ball in her hands. She cut through the Golden Flashes defense and into the try zone, and another missed conversion made it a 10-0 game. Wheeling would get on the board one more time before the half was out, as Ella Barker took the ball across the try line, and Emerson Callegari put her first conversion through the uprights to make it a 17-0 score at halftime.
As they came out for the second half, the Cardinals just kept the momentum going, once again pitching the ball to Sinatra. She found her way across the try line for the second time on the day, and Wheeling would hold a 22-0 advantage. Kent State would make halftime adjustments, scoring their first try of the day on their first possession of the second half, but that would be the only score the Cardinals would give up. Wheeling would put some of their bench players on the field, and they took advantage as freshman Milena Hammons got the ball in her hands. She would move her way to the outside and crossed the try line to make it a 27-5 game. The final conversion kick of the day was missed but as the final whistle blew, the Cardinals would start the day with a 27-5 victory.
Liz Sinatra got her day started strong, scoring two tries and totaling 10 points in the winning effort. She used her speed down the sidelines to her advantage, converting two early tries and getting the momentum going. Kylie Baigent, Ella Barker, and Milena Hammons each added tries to finish with five points, while Emerson Callegari added the final two points, going 1-4 on conversion kicks.
Game Two: Wheeling 50, Ohio Wesleyan 0
As the Cardinals moved into the semifinals, they would take on Ohio Wesleyan University in what was an offensive field day for the Cardinals. It started on the first possession, when Ella Barker ran up the sidelines and got into the try zone just a minute into the ball game. Shannon Whypji would handle the first half kicking duties for the Cardinals, and nailed her opening kick to give the Cardinals a 7-0 lead. The Cardinals would score four first half tries, with Barker starting and ending the half with scores. Sandwiched between were tries from Alexis Dallas and Kaiah Long, while Whypji would go 1-2 on the ensuing conversion kicks. The Cardinal defense did not allow Ohio Wesleyan to get across midfield, and by halftime the score sat at 24-0 in favor of the Cardinals.
In the second half, the Cardinals did a 7-for-7 sub and the reserves would pick-up right where the starters left off. One of the holdovers from the first half success was Long, who picked up her first career multi-try game to start the second half. Payton Olivas would takeover the kicking duties in the second half and sent the ball through the uprights to extend the Cardinals lead to 31-0. She was one of four different Cardinals to score in the second half, including the first career try for Jasmine Burley. She got across the try line on Wheeling's second possession, and Olivas sent the ball through the uprights to make it a 38-0 game. The final two scores of the half would come from a pair of veterans on the team in Joelle Taylor and Nadia Richards, who rounded out the scoring on the day. Olivas would finish 1-2 on the final two conversions, and the Cardinals would go on to win by the final score of 50-0.
Ella Barker and Kaiah Long would tie for the team lead with 10 points, scoring two tries each in the effort. It was the first career multi-try game for both athletes as they helped the Cardinals tie their season-high in scoring. Alexis Dallas, Jasmine Burley, Joelle Taylor, and Nadia Richards would each finish with five points, getting across the try line twice in the effort. The kicking duties were split by Shannon Whypji and Payton Olivas, with Whypji going 2-4 and Olivas going 3-4 to round out the day.
Game Three: Wheeling 38, Kent State 7
For the third straight tournament, the Cardinals were competing in the championship match, as they met up with their first opponent of the day Kent State. It was a tightly contested first half, with the two teams trading scores throughout the first seven minutes of play. Wheeling would get on the board first, with Emerson Callegari starting things on the opening possession, getting across the try line and hitting the conversion to make it a 7-0 game. Kent State would tie the game on the next possession, and the Cardinals would make one more push. They got the ball down to the try line, and put it in the hands of Alexis Dallas as she took it across the try line as the first half clock wound down. Callegari would nail the ensuing conversion kick and the Cardinals would go into the locker room holding a 14-7 lead.
In the second half, the Cardinals would put the game on ice as Shannon Whypji got things started. She would score the first try of the half, and hit the conversion that followed, as Wheeling took a 21-7 lead. The Cardinal defense stiffened over the final seven minutes, not allowing a score the rest of the night as the Cardinals ran away with it. Alexis Dallas got across the try line for the second time on the day, and Payton Olivas came in for her first conversion, sailing it through the uprights to make it a 28-7 Wheeling lead. The Cardinals would get across the try line twice more before the half was over, and two missed conversion kicks rounded out the day. Wheeling would go on to win 38-7, taking their first tournament championship of the season.
Leading the effort for the Cardinals was Emerson Callegari, who scored 14 of the team's 38 points on the night. She got across the try line twice in the effort, while adding a 2-2 effort in the kicking game to round out the day. Alexis Dallas finished right behind her with 10 points, getting across the try line twice, while Shannon Whypji added a try and a conversion kick to finish with seven points. Nadia Richards would score the final try of the day, finishing with five points, while Payton Olivas added a conversion kick to round out the day with two points, going 1-3.
The Wheeling University Women's Rugby team returns to action on Saturday, April 25th, when they compete on day one of the Collegiate Rugby Championships (CRC) National 7's.
