Men DII College Top 25, April 21, 2010

By RUGBYMag.com Staff

It could be known as the great rankings bloodbath of 2010. We blew it, completely. Teams ranked 1-4 finished the playoff weekend a total of 2-6. Of the remaining teams in the top ten, one didn't play (we actually got that somewhat right) and three others were a total of 2-4. Only #5 Tewmple and #10 Miami (who, it must be said, were #1 at one point in the season) won both games.

So ... big movers: Temple goes to #1 from #5. Miami goes to #2 from #10. UMass jumps from #17 to #3 (we are really impressed with their defense) and Claremont Colleges goes from #16 to #4. You get the feeling you could have flipped our April 3 rankings upside down and you'd be closer to accurate. #23 Middlebury does what they've done the last three years, and performsn when it matters. They are #5. NC State is #6 from #21. Our most accurate pick was idle Georgetown, who lost a really close one to Temple in the MARFU playoffs and we had at #8, where they stay. Another idle team is Dayton, who lost their Midwest semi to Miami by a point last fall. Now we figure that playoff was one of the toughest in the country.

Dropping out is Western Washington, who played tough in what now appears to be a relatively weak Pacific Coast region. St. John's, competitive in the Midwest in the fall, comes in. We still think we have too many West teams in there.

RugbyMag.com Men’s DII College Top 25
April 21 2010
1 (5) Temple Defeated Texas Tech (4), Appalachian State (9)
2 (10) Miami of Ohio Defeated Middlebury (23) NC State (21)
3 (17) UMass Defeated UW-Whitewater (7), Arizona State (2)
4 (16) Claremont Colleges Defeated St. Louis (3), Vermont (6)
5 (23) Middlebury Lost to Miami (10), defeated Cal Maritime (1)
6 (21) NC State Defeated Cal Maritime (1), lost to Miami (10)
7 (19) Dayton
8 (8) Georgetown
9 (2) Arizona State Defeated Santa Clara (13), lost to UMass (17)
10 (4) Texas Tech Lost to Temple (5), Defeated Western Oregon (15)
11 (6) Vermont Defeated Salisbury (18), lost to Claremont (16)
12 (9) Appalachian State Defeated Western Oregon (15), lost to Temple (5)
13 (18) Salisbury Defeated Lost to Vermont (6), defeated St. Louis (3)
14 (1) Cal Maritime Lost to NC State (21), Middlebury (23)
15 (3) St. Louis University Lost to Claremont Colleges (16), Salisbury (18)
16 (13) Santa Clara University Lost to Arizona State (2), defeated UW-Whitewater (7)
17 (7) UW-Whitewater Lost to UMass(17), Santa Clara (13)
18 (11) N. Colorado
19 (12) Arkansas
20 (14) Col. Sch. Mines
21 (15) Western Oregon Lost to Appalachian State (9), Texas Tech (4)
22 (22) Loyola Marymount
23 (24) West Chester
24 (25) Central Missouri
25 (Unr) St. John's

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Miami was led by the prolific scoring of Luke Markovich and strong play from Matt Korth at flyhalf to make the top four, and were inspired by hooker Pat Rahill who suffered a broken nose and needed stitches in his team's defeat of defending champs Middlebury in the opening match on Saturday, but returned to finish the game.

"It was simple," said Miami's Jared Moore. "When we stuck to our game plan we did well.  We're playing good rugby right now."

Miami defeated NC State 43-5 in Sunday's quarterfinal.

Certainly they are. Claremont has exploded into prominence after looking decidedly iffy early in the season, and after edging St. Louis 14-10 found their feed and dispatched Vermont 36-10. Temple did what they've done all season, riding good defense to beat Texas Tech 22-12 and Appalachian State 25-10 to make the semis. UMass played some D of their own, defeating Wisconsin-Whitewater 32-18 on Saturday and then holding a very good Arizona State side to no tries 22-6.

Top four:
Claremont, Miami, Temple, UMass

5-8:
Appalachian State, Arizona State, North Carolina State, University of Vermont

9-12:
Middlebury, Salisbury, Santa Clara, Texas Tech

13-16:

3-27-10

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In Savannah:
1st ROUND action:  UMASS 34 - VMI 7
6 tries in a come from behind effort.  Tries by Senior #13 Shawn Brennan, Junior  #11 Seth Oliver, Senior #4 Mike Kennefick (2), Junior #14 Kevin Tolson, and Senior #6 Chris Risler.   2 Conversions by Capt. #10 Edaun Pickholz.

Round Two: UMASS 27 - U of Maryland-BC 0

After a 7 - 0 first half, the boys turned it on and finished 27 - 0.  Tries by Junior # 11 Seth Oliver, Senior #1 Brendan Daly (2), and Senior #15 Clark Hoopes.  Maryland play a hard a tough match, though the score doesn't reflect it.

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CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH - UMASS RUGBY 17 - Kutztown 31     3/14/10

The Championship match vs my old friend and former co-coach of the Eastern (ERU) Collegiate Select Side, Dr. Greg Jones' Kutztown, PA., a powerhouse in Pennsylvania Collegiate Rugby. The match of the tourney.

The game came as advertised.  Hard fought and wide open.  The first half saw a 3-10 deficit grow at the end when we were beat on the out side for a long break away try to close the half at 3-17.  The second half saw us come right back when Senior Fullback Clark Hoopes was awarded a penalty try, when Kutztown pulled down a maul on the goal line.  Senior Outside Center Shawn Brennan scored at the end of the match to make the final 17-31.  The fourteen points difference can be accounted for that long try at the end of the first half and a intercepted pass by Kutztown for another long try in the second half.  We can feel good that we played them fairly even, so early in our season...first time outdoors and the march to Nationals still ahead.

YOU CAN BE PROUD!


---->Also: (in the really need help department)

This is a good time to order sweats from Gary's Treasures, before they get busy with spring sports... http://www.garystreasures.com   Lynn is our contact person.

If you want to put an ad in our 2010 Championship Program, or just support these boys, you now can use Pay Pal on our web site: http://www.umassrugby.com
Please email me when you use this function, so I can tract delivery, independently.

GO UMASS!

Coach
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RUGBY MAGAZINE!

Middlebury and Vermont Win in Semis

The University of Vermont and Middlebury will compete Sunday for the Northeast DII men's rugby championships.

Played in abysmal rainy, windy conditions with pools of water everywhere, the University of Vermont Men took early control of its game with UMass but failed to capitalize.

UMass No. 8 Mike Kenefick scored on a nice pickup from a scrum to give his side a 5-0 lead at the half.

Five minutes after the restart, scrumhalf Ryan Gillespie touched down to increase the UMass lead to 10-0.

Vermont’s handing improved as did their field position but they still trailed. With 15 minutes remaining. However, things finally started to click as Vermont got tries from Charlie Powell and Robert Sokolowski. Jack Bates converted one try and added a penalty goal to conclude a remarkable, 15-10 comeback win over UMass.

In the other D2 semifinal, Middlebury defeated Stony Brook 11-0.

All of the scoring in this match occurred in the first half with Middlebury’s Geoff Kalan scoring the game’s lone try and Brian Sirkia adding two penalty goals.

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Minutemen take home third place in the North East Championships

Posted on 16 November 2009 in The Daily Collegian!

Dark clouds loomed over the Massachusetts club rugby team on Saturday afternoon as it watched its lead evaporate in the final quarter of the match. But a silver lining was found on Sunday in a bid to the national championship tournament.

Fifth-seeded Vermont (9-2) waterlogged the top-seeded Minutemen (11-2), 15-10. The Catamounts scored 15 points in the final 15 minutes to amass a 10-point rally and move on to the New England Championship match on Sunday.

Despite the loss, UMass bounced back to win in its third-place match against Stony Brook, 21-0. Again, the Minutemen failed to score in the second half, but did not need the points as they stymied the Sea Wolves’s offense.

On Saturday, UMass had everything going its way in the first half, powering to two tries while staying in firm control of the game. The only regret in the first 65 minutes was that they didn’t score more points.

“We didn’t establish a large enough lead,” UMass coach Al Baker said. “There were a number of missed opportunities. We hit the posts twice on our conversions.”

Two missed conversions may have been costly. Both kicks missed by the slightest of margins, grazing the uprights and landing unsuccessfully.

The impact of the kicks was less tangible and more cognitive. Instead of a 14 point lead, forcing the Catamounts into gaining three scores to win, the 10-point deficit was more inviting to them.

“They weren’t confident until they got that score,” Baker said. “If we had a bigger lead, it would have made them more disillusioned.”

The Minutemen jumped out of the gate with two tries in the first half on a couple of physical, forward drives capped off by Mike Kenefick and Ryan Gillespie.

Vermont began moving the ball more successfully in the second half by giving their backs more touches. The soggy field conditions forced the ball to take some unexpected bounces that fooled UMass while the Catamounts used passing to keep the ball off of the sodden terrain.

The pitch was in poor condition on Saturday, resembling a marsh more than an actual field. With ruggers from both teams sporting brown uniforms as they were drenched with mud, Coach Baker thought the match had a classic feel to it.

“It was like watching an old-style football game,” Baker said.

The field conditions on Sunday were decidedly better, and so was the play of the Minutemen. Nine minutes into the match, Shawn Brennan stepped in front of a Stony Brook pass, intercepting the ball and bringing it 70 yards downfield for the game’s first try. Josh Reid, who handled the day’s kicking duties, punched in the conversion to take a 7-0 lead.

Some 12 minutes later, a kick-ahead by Edaun Pickholz put UMass in a position near the opposing try-zone. Kenefick picked up the kick and relayed it to Josh Reid who dove over the goal line for a try. A Reid conversion extended the lead to 14-0.

On the last play of the first half, after strong rucking and mauling, the Minutemen forced themselves into the end-zone one more time. Kenefick converted a try followed by a Reid two-pointer to conclude the day’s scoring.

The Catamounts pulled off another improbable rally on Sunday to beat Middlebury, 19-15, and capture the trophy. Along with Middlebury, the three teams earned spots in the national championship tournament next spring.

The national tournament will begin in April in Florida with 16 teams making the cut.

UMass will look forward to the Dec. 5 New England Rugby Football Union meetings in which it will be decided whether or not the former Division I school will move back up to those ranks next season.

Daniel Gigliotti can be reached at dgigliot@student.umass.edu.

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Rugby to take on Vermont

Posted on 12 November 2009 in The Daily Collegian

With rain and wind predicted to consume the pitch on Saturday, the Massachusetts rugby team prepares to weather the storm that is Vermont and move one step closer to the New England Championship, and a birth in the national tournament.

The No. 25 Minutemen (9-1), who are the top seed in the NEC tournament, are now winners of five straight matches having persevered through the New England Rugby Football Union tournament and won handily against Southern Connecticut last Saturday, 27-0, in their quarterfinal match.

A win against the fifth-seeded Catamounts would pit UMass in a championship battle against little known Stony Brook or No. 1 Middlebury, the team it triumphed over to grab the NERFU Championship.

The Minutemen were on the right end of a lopsided match, last weekend, in which they scored four second-half tries to rout the eighth-seeded Owls (7-2).

Vermont is likely to present tougher competition to the Minutemen than Southern Connecticut did. Vermont averages a hefty 37.2 points per match this season while giving up 11.1, yet have seen its numbers fall since the playoffs, averaging 20 points and giving up an average of seven in four games (3-1).

Although its offensive numbers dropped recently, Vermont’s tenacious attack has remained formidable. The Catamount’s two losses this season came at the hands of conference rival Middlebury, including an opening day loss to the Panthers on Sept. 19 and another in the NERFU semifinals on Oct. 31, but not without resistance.

“They had Middlebury up against their own goal-line for most of their match,” UMass coach Al Baker said.

Both games were decided by six points and played on Middlebury’s home turf. The two losses are the only blemishes on Vermont’s record this season. The Catamounts managed to bounce back nicely following defeat as they routed Boston University, 47-5, on Nov. 1 to capture the fifth seed in the NEC tournament. It then topped Buffalo State, 46-21, in the quarterfinals on Saturday

Vermont brings a sizable squad into Amherst on Saturday. Baker believes his team will match the Catamounts in stature and gain an advantage in its speed.

Last week, the Minutemen were a bit giddy on the onset of the match, forcing the action and making unsound plays that led to turnovers. Baker urges his ruggers to let the game come to them as they will look to find a weakness in Vermont’s attack.

“We’re going to continue to pressure Vermont with our forwards,” Baker said. “[We want to] try and get their backline to commit to forwards’ attack and create opportunities for the backs.”

The Catamount’s offensive assault tallied eight tries last Saturday. However, Baker is not worried about matching their scoring as UMass managed 32 points per game this season. Its attack is split evenly between its backs and forwards on 54 scoring tries this season.

If Baker and his team are nervous about anything, it is the adverse weather forecast. With a 90 percent chance of rain and a lot of wear and tear on their home-field in the past month, the Minutemen hope that their terrain will not be an impediment in the four matches they will host this weekend.

UMass will play two games on the weekend. If it loses, it will play on Sunday for a chance to make the national tournament this spring. With a win, the Minutemen will take on the winner of Stony Brook and Middlebury for the Northeast Championship.

UMass handled Middlebury on Nov. 1 for the NERFU championship, 34-3, and is prepared to face a revamped Panther attack.

“I’m sure Middlebury wants another shot at us and will prepare better,” Baker said.

Daniel Gigliotti can be reached at dgigliot@student.umass.edu.

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NOVEMBER 7, 2009

Quarter Final Results of the Northeast Rugby Championship!

UMass advances to Northeast Regional Championship semifinals

Posted on 09 November 2009 in The Daily Collegian!

With a Northeast Regional Championship title in sight and a national championship birth in the wings, the top-seeded Massachusetts club rugby team poised itself for a second half surge that propelled it to a 27-0 quarterfinal win over eight-seeded Southern Connecticut on Saturday.

Deadlocked without a score after 40 minutes, the Minutemen (9-1) burst out to a decisive lead in the second half. They chipped in a penalty kick and out-ran their opponents to two quick tries, taking a 17-0 lead. UMass coach Al Baker attributed the offensive explosion to his team’s fitness.

“After a point, it was hard for them to keep up with our speed and intensity,” Baker said.

The Minutemen played into a slight wind in the first half, which contributed to Southern Connecticut’s (7-2) attempts to hold off the UMass attack. Every effort the Minutemen made to push forward, the Owls countered by applying resistance and clearing the ball off of their collective foot. Baker advised his team to settle down at the break.

“We were very excited and anxious,” he said. “We settled down, got our legs under us and were much calmer.”

A penalty on Southern Connecticut for ‘coming in from the side’ on a ruck three minutes into the half gave the Minutemen a penalty kick on the right sideline at the 30 meter line. Dan Morgan’s kick stayed true, putting UMass on the board, 3-0.

Seven minutes later, the Minutemen moved swiftly downfield thanks to a kick-to-catch by Edaun Pickholz and a series of strong rucks. They gained the benefit of a line-out at the Owl’s five meter line. UMass looked incessantly for a crease to sneak into the try-zone until forward Brendan Daly found his way in for five points. Morgan legged the ball through the posts for a conversion to make the score 10-0.

Impressive runs by Shawn Brennan and Clark Hoopes six minutes later pushed the Minutemen to a three-score advantage. A scrum-out in UMass territory yielded possession to Brennan when he scooted 20 meters across midfield. From there, fullback Clark Hoopes carried the ball the final 40 meters for the try. Josh Reid, who sat out last weekend with an ankle injury, completed the conversion to take a 17-0 advantage.

The second half saw UMass gain the lion’s share of possession, hovering mostly around its opponent’s 22 meter line.

“It gave us more opportunities to attack and put pressure on them,” Baker said.

Forward movement for the UMass offense went stale after its second try as Southern Connecticut jockeyed for position. By hoarding the ball, the Minutemen kept the Owl’s defense on their heels and found more opportunities late in the half.

At the 30 minute mark, Brian Donnelly made another run for goal, taking the ball from his forwards, running over a couple of players, and crashing in for the third UMass try of the game. Reid’s kick sailed right of the posts, and the home team took a 22-0 lead.

On the final play of the game, Shaun Brennan cut and spun his way through Connecticut defenders for a try of his own and the Minutemen’s final score.

The offensive futility that the Owls displayed was uncharacteristic of their season, having scored at least 20 points per game in seven contests since Sept. 20. UMass is now holding its opponents to under seven points per game during the postseason (6.75).

The Minutemen are undefeated on their field behind McGuirk Stadium (5-0). They have the benefit of their home crowd again this weekend as they host the semifinals and finals of the Northeast Regional Championships.

UMass faces Vermont on Saturday for a birth in the finals and the right to compete for a national championship.

Daniel Gigliotti can be reached at dgigliot@student.umass.edu.

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Men DII College Top 25 Nov. 5, 2009

Posted in RUGBY MAGAZINE!

UMass hosts regional tournament

Posted on 05 November 2009 in The Daily Collegian!

Amherst hosts the four best Division II club rugby teams next Saturday, as the Northeast Regional Tournament begins this weekend and concludes next weekend.

The No. 25 Massachusetts club rugby team hopes to be participating in those matches, as opposed to watching them, as it plays a quarterfinal match on Saturday, boasting the top seed in the tournament.

Following an upset of the No. 1 team in the country last weekend and a New England Club Rugby Union Championship, the Minutemen are poised to claim their next title and a bid to the National Championships.

“The boys are really focused, and they’re looking forward to continuing their run,” UMass coach Al Baker said.

Last Saturday, No. 25 UMass (8-1) handled Middlebury, 34-3, in a one-sided match that saw the Minutemen hold the highest scoring team in the division (42 points per game) to its lowest point total of the season.

UMass avenged its most lopsided defeat in recent memory; a 110-0 loss to the Panthers last season, when the Minutemen recorded their most uneven victory in five games. 

Regardless of UMass’ victory over the Panthers, Middlebury will have an opportunity to vie for the Northeast Title as the second seed.

The tournament pits teams from three conferences against one another for the chance to move on to the National Championship Tournament. The eight qualifiers earned their spots by virtue of their success in their respective conference tournaments and the credentials of each conference.

The Minutemen earned their bid to the Northeast Regional Tournament on Oct. 24, during the NEC quarterfinal matchup against Bentley. UMass won, 17-12,  scoring twice in the final 20 minutes of the game to top the pesky Falcons and advance to the semifinals.

Two victories last weekend including a 22-12 win over Boston University ensured UMass a No. 1 seed in the tournament.

The Minutemen will await the arrival of Southern Connecticut (7-1), which hasn’t lost in its last four matches. The Owls play a fast-paced game, and enter the tournament having beaten Iona on Sunday. The team comes in scoring 31.5 points a game, while giving up 13.12.

The Owls finished second in the Metropolitan New York Rugby Conference only to Stony Brook, who finished atop the conference. The Seawolves took out the Owls, 27-19, in a match played on Oct. 4. Stony Brook is the third seed in this weekend’s tournament, and will take on the Terriers.

The New York State Rugby Conference brings two squads to Amherst in fourth-seeded Buffalo State and seventh-seeded Hamilton College. Each team won their respective brackets (Empire East and West), and came out with close victories in the NYS Tournament to earn their spots.

Buffalo State edged out Rochester, 12-10, while Hamilton topped Hobart, 15-7. With identical records, the Bengals beat out the Continentals in seeding by way of a higher season point total (169-163).

Buffalo State will stay in New York to host Vermont while Hamilton will travel to Middlebury.

Daniel Gigliotti can be reached at dgigliot@student.umass.edu.

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UMass Impresses in Claiming New England Championship

As Posted in RUGBY MAGAZINE  11/01/09

Just one year after losing to Middlebury 110-0, UMass reversed the outcome, defeating defending national champion Middlebury 34-3 in the Northeastern RFU tournament final.  'We just didn't play well to our potential," said Middlebury coach Blake Hinckley, "And we look forward to having another match with them soon."  

In order for that rematch to come to fruition, Middlebury will have to beat Hamilton and the winner between Boston University and Stony Brook.  As the top seed in Northeasterns, UMass will have to wade through MetNY and the winner between Buffalo and Vermont.  However, UMass has the advantage of playing the entire bracket on their home turf in Amherst, Mass.

The top three teams in the Northeast will move on to the national tournament, where they'll continue their quest to bring the championship trophy back east to rest again.

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Minutemen capture NERFU Division II championship

Posted on 03 November 2009 in The Daily Collegian!

The Massachusetts club rugby team toppled No. 1 Middlebury on Sunday to capture the New England Rugby Football Union Division II championship.

The No. 25 Minutemen, division bottom-dwellers in recent memory, avenged a 110-0 loss from last season in beating the Panthers, 34-3.

Middlebury (7-1) had been a giant in NERFU, winning seven of the last eight New England Championship trophies, but felt disappointment in defeat.

“We just didn’t play well to our potential,” Middlebury coach Blake Hinckley said to www.RugbyMag.com. “We look forward to having another match with them soon.”

The Minutemen grabbed the lead 15 minutes into the game and would not let go. UMass moved the ball through Middlebury territory and inside the 22 meter line. The two teams collided in a scrum from five meters out in which UMass powered the pile over the goal line, revealing the ball for Scott Newman to dive on.

Five minutes later, the Panthers countered by penetrating the Minutemen attack. UMass yielded a ‘not releasing the ball’ penalty as it attempted to regain possession, and Middlebury knocked through a penalty kick that would turn out to be its only points of the game.

The Minutemen, persistent in their attack, continued to pressure the Panthers until the halftime whistle went off. In the final play of the first half, UMass strung together a long run downfield, swinging the ball quickly out to Seth Oliver and cutting through the Middlebury defense. Stopped just short of the end zone, the orb was moved to Brendan Daly who crashed in for a try and put the Minutemen up, 10-3.

Coming out of the half, UMass continued to play relentlessly. Six minutes into play, second row player Brian Jerome found the goal line for a try. Playing without their usual kicker, Josh Reid, who sat out with an ankle ailment, Edaun Pickholz followed the score up with a conversion. Up 17-3, UMass dominated the scoring column, cruising to three more tries.

While the Minutemen’s offensive production is characteristic of how they have been playing this season, averaging 34.5 points per game going into Sunday, the Panthers’ defensive effort slacked.

Middlebury had given up 10 points in its last five matches (all against Vermont on Saturday) and registered four shutouts. Over the seven games played this season, the Panthers have allowed 36 points (5.14 per game).

When asked how his team was able to create so many opportunities against a suffocating Middlebury defense, UMass coach Al Baker identified a pressing type of play from his ruggers.

“[We’re] going forward – putting them under a lot of pressure,” Baker said. “[There is] a good amount of support; no player is fending for himself.”

On the other side of the ball, the Minutemen have worked hard on defense. Prior to UMass stifling the Panthers, they allowed 12 points in three consecutive games.

The Minutemen earned their spot in Sunday’s final after besting Boston University, 22-12, on Saturday. Strong winds affected the match, as BU took an early halftime lead, 12-0. A lengthy try, however, by UMass 35 minutes into play sprung the Minutemen back into contention, toting in a triplet of tries for the win.

UMass has ascended far up in the club rankings and can see the summit in sight, yet it still has some climbing to do if it wishes to claim the title of National Champions.     

“We want to be No. 1 in the country,” Baker said. “Same way as we have, take it one day at a time. Stay with fundamentals and keep fitness up.”

The Minutemen contend for the Northeast Regional title on Saturday and enjoys home-field advantage as Amherst welcomes in the eight-team field as hosts. The top-seeded Minutemen will take on eight-seeded Southern Connecticut at 1 p.m.

Despite the loss, Middlebury enters the tournament as the second seed.

Daniel Gigliotti can be reached at dgigliot@student.umass.edu.

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UM meets BU in NERFU Championship

Posted on 29 October 2009 in The Daily Collegian!

The Massachusetts club rugby program has broken out of its losing ways, in the same way the Boston University program has. Both squads seek to triumph in the New England Rugby Football Union Championship (NERFU) as they go head-to-head this weekend in Middlebury, Vt.

The Minutemen have moved through to the semifinals after eliminating Bentley last Saturday, 17-12. Facing a 7-5 deficit at halftime and trailing 12-5 late in the second half, UMass played resiliently, clawing their way to a win.

This weekend, the Maroon and White hope to get on the board early and put the pressure on their opponent.

“We want to keep them off the board early and score early, putting them in a position they aren’t used to,” UMass coach Al Baker said.

The Minutemen have had success when getting out to an early lead, scoring first in each of their last four wins. Getting a head start on its opponent will help UMass, but at the same time, it hopes to have a steady dose of defense and scoring against the Terriers.

“Scoring first gives [the players] a margin of error,” said Baker. “It’s big, but they still have [a lot of time] to go.”

Adverse weather conditions, including a steady rain, slickened the field and made it hard for players to keep their footing, causing penalties. A sunny forecast for this weekend will bode well for the Minutemen who, according to Baker, are ready to play in any condition.

On Saturday, UMass will face second-seeded Boston University which had a regular season record of 4-1-1. It began its season blowing out Bentley College, 31-0 on its way to three-straight victories. Mid-way through their schedule though, the Terriers faced some adversity, registering a tie in a rematch against the Falcons, 21-21. BU then lost its following match to Maine, 19-13.

Coming into this season, the Terriers’ rugby program appeared to be on a steady decline, winning six games total in 2005-06 and one game in 2007-08. This is not unlike the Minutemen’s recent woes who had won three times in the five years leading up to this season.

BU advances to the semi-finals on the heels of a come-from-behind victory against seventh-seeded Norwich, 17-7. The Terriers’ quarterfinal match was strikingly similar to their counterpart’s in that they found themselves down, 7-5, at the half only to stymie the Cadets in the final 40 minutes. Much like UMass, which scored in its first of two game-winning tires, BU also managed to score its go-ahead points with a man-down.

The Terriers are performing well on both sides of the ball this year. During the regular season, BU tallied 32.8 points per game and allowed 14 points per game, a difference of 18.8 points, which is second only to the Minutemen, 25.9, in the NERFU.

Baker will be on the same field with a BU program that he knows very well. He held the reigns for the Terriers for eight seasons, from 1982-‘90, and led them to three NERFU Championships. After leaving BU, Baker coached for seven seasons at Harvard where the Terriers weren’t able to beat his team. The match will definitely produce a unique dynamic in Baker’s eyes but won’t influence the game.

“It’s always going to add something. They definitely would like to beat me,” said Baker. “It’s about the players. Both programs are working their way back from defeat. They’ll be more worried about the game, not the coach.”

This match will be followed by the other semifinal contest featuring Middlebury and Vermont. The winners of each semifinals match will meet for the New England Championship on Sunday.

Regardless of the outcome of this weekend’s games, both teams will still compete in next weekend’s Northeast Regional Championships. The top four teams in the NERFU tournament all earned automatic bids to the tournament.

Minutemen get comeback win in quarterfinals

Posted on 26 October 2009 in the Daily Collegian!

The Massachusetts club rugby team showed its ability to win close games on Saturday as it beat Bentley in the New England Rugby Football Union quarterfinal playoffs.

The Minutemen (5-1) faced a 12-5 deficit late in the game and the Falcons (3-1-2) showed little sign of relenting. With 10 minutes remaining, after many attempts and with a man down, UMass broke Bentley’s defense with a 17-12 win.

Defense dictated the match as both teams battled mostly between the 22-meter lines. Steady rain dampened the pitch, making scoring temperate and possession a premium. They traded blows around midfield and stifled each other around the goal-line.

UMass took the pitch organized, gaining possession and sloshing its way downfield for the opening score. A missed conversion held the score at 5-0. Bentley came back and muscled its way in for a try 7-5.

Many whistles were blown throughout the course of the afternoon. With each team vying for position, the referee made numerous offside calls as he did his best to uphold order amidst a heated contest.

Points were tough to come by as the ruggers seemed to rally around their own end-line. Bentley’s goal-line presence was more prevalent around halftime when the Minutemen steadily worked their way downfield only to be smothered by the Falcon’s resistance as the whistle blew.

Coming out of the break, UMass relayed its way down Bentley’s half, but its defense would once again weather the attack. The Falcons denied the Minutemen, stripping them of the orb and booting it to midfield. A possession-minded Bentley player sped up-field, confronted a UMass back and deftly redirected the ball to a teammate off the side of his cleat. 

That play led to a turning point in momentum in which the Falcons would build on their scoring advantage. Bentley punched in a try midway through the second half, but a missed conversion left the Minutemen within one score.

With fewer than 20 minutes remaining in the game, and possibly its season, UMass tied the game. A major penalty put the Minutemen’s season in jeopardy, but they prevailed in the end.

The Maroon and White pressured the Falcons’ defense, penetrating deep into their territory. Bentley tried for a clear and rendered a throw-in around its own 22-meter line. Following the throw-in, the Falcons cleared the ball to midfield where Dan Morgan found the sphere in his clutches. Attempting an up-and-under, the senior hooker punted the ball 10 meters towards the goal.

A Bentley fullback fielded the punt and quickly tried to redirect it when Morgan met him with full force. The forward went for a charge down, colliding with his opponent and sending him to the pitch. He was given a yellow card and a 10 minute misconduct penalty.

Playing undermanned, UMass worked to cut the field in half by pushing the ball up-field with its backs and moving the pile with its forwards.

The Minutemen pushed their way to the goal-line, looking for the end-zone. They pried their way towards goal where they met confrontation. After nearly 10 minutes of forceful offense, UMass barged its way through for a try.

The Minutemen needed a conversion to tie the game and would not get it, missing the posts wide-right, leaving them down, 12-10.

UMass received the ensuing kick-off deep in its own territory. The two teams clashed in Minutemen field until a tripping penalty by Bentley gave position to the Minutemen.

As UMass steamed ahead towards goal, each team tried to gain leverage and competition was closely monitored by the referee who was quick to stop play for misconduct. Multiple scrums kept the crowd in suspense as they began to get loud.

With fewer than 10 minutes remaining, the Minutemen breached the Falcon’s defense for the game-winning try.

With the win, the Minutemen move to the semifinals of the NERFU tournament, which will be held on Saturday at Middlebury College in Vermont and an automatic bid to the Northeast Regional Tournament. In its next match, UMass will take on Eastern Conference champions Boston University that boast a 4-1-1 record during the regular season.

Daniel Gigliotti can be reached at dgigliot@student.umass.edu.

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UMass Rugby defeats URI, prepare for playoffs

Posted on 22 October 2009 in The Daily Collegian!

A strong second half propelled the Massachusetts club rugby team to a win against Rhode Island and a top seed in the New England Rugby Football Union playoffs. The Minutemen have little time to celebrate, however, as they jump into playoff action this Saturday against Bentley.

UMass (5-1) was persistent in its attack, fending off a pesky URI team, 32-12, to secure the best record in the Men’s Division II standings.

Overall, The Minutemen managed the game well, although URI (4-2) stayed right with them during the first half.

“It takes time to figure it out,” Coach Al Baker said. “[We] needed to calm down after the first.”

The Minutemen started off the scoring in the first half by taking a 7-0 lead and kept control of the ball. But about 25 minutes into the half, URI found an opening in the UMass attack and ran off to a breakaway that eventually led to a game-tying try.

UMass put the pressure right back on the Rams before halftime with another try of its own and after 40 minutes, the score showed UMass up, 12-7.

Coming out of the break, the Minutemen made noticeable adjustments. Understanding of the strategies URI took in the opening frame, they realigned and their game plan began to take its course. Baker alluded to a certain “feel” that comes with knowing how the other team is playing.

“It’s like full contact chess,” Baker said. “If any parts of your game don’t work, they will get exposed to the other team; they will take advantage of it.”

The Minutemen heeded the words of their coach coming out of the mid-game huddle and stormed the pitch with full force. A quick penalty kick by Clark Hoopes put three points on the board and a try shortly thereafter pushed the lead out to double digits at 22-7.

A Rams try about mid-way through the second half indicated that the game was still anybody’s to win.

Holding a big lead, UMass began to get a bit anxious, throwing errant passes and mishandling the ball. From the sideline, Baker urged his players to settle down.

The Minutemen regained composure and pulled away with the ball. A second penalty kick conversion and a try gave UMass a 25-12 lead that it held for the remainder of the game. The play continued to be very physical as time wound down, but the Minutemen did not relent.

As the final whistle blew, the players in maroon and white stripes congratulated one another, experiencing a foreign feeling of success. No UMass player had been part of a winning season, and Baker encouraged his team to relish in the satisfaction of their accomplishment.

Baker credited powerful play by his forwards as well as the depth of his team for its success.

“We’re able to change our strategies. There’s a lot in our arsenal,” Baker said.

UMass rugby had been in a state of turmoil for the past five years. Since 2004, it won three conference games including winless seasons from 2005-2007. Following the 2006 season, the Minutemen were relegated from Division I to Division II in the NERFU. At the start of the season, Baker said his goal was to bring the team back up to Division I.

UMass will have to continue its focus this Saturday if it wants to achieve its ultimate objective as it takes on a competitive Bentley College squad. Bentley is an experienced program that has a tradition of winning in recent years. Conversely to UMass, Bentley moved up in Divisions following consecutive National Championships in 2005 and 2006.

Since the Falcons have played in Division II, they have gone 6-4.

Bentley moves into the playoffs with a 3-1-2 record, good for 4th on the overall division leader board after finishing second to Boston University in the Eastern Conference.

The Falcons will travel into Amherst this weekend, as the Minutemen enjoy home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Division II playoffs include eight teams, four of which will get a chance to play in the Northeast regional tournament. The winner of Saturday’s match will face either Norwich Academy or Boston University in the semifinals next Saturday.

Daniel Gigliotti can be reached at dgigliot@student.umass.edu.

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RugbyMag.com Men’s DII College Top 25
Oct. 6, 2009
1 (1) Miami of Ohio 4-0 (5-0) Defeated Xavier & Ohio U.
2 (2) Middlebury 3-1 Defeated Norwich, DI UConn
3 (3) Georgetown 3-0 Defeated St. Mary’s
4 (24) N. Colorado 2-0 (3-2) Defeated Mesa, Denver
5 (4) South Florida 0-1 Lost to DI Florida State
6 (5) Appalachian State 1-0 (4-0) Won Rucktoberfest, beating Clemson
7 (8) Col. Sch. Mines 3-0 (5-0) Defeated Colorado College, Western State
8 (14) Radford 3-0 Defeated William & Mary,
9 (15) West Virginia 4-0 Defeated Pittsburgh and Franciscan
10 (20) Indiana Pa. 3-0 Defeated Pittsburgh
11 (13) Texas State  1-0 Defeated Sam Houston
12 (7) Utah Valley 1-0
13 (6) Arizona State 0-0
14 (17) UMass 4-0 Defeated Rhode Island (16), Defeated Amherst
15 (16) Rhode Island 3-1 Lost to UMass, Defeated Coast Guard
16 (19) Michigan State 4-0 Defeated Western Michigan
17 (22) Norwich 2-1 Lost to Middlebury (2), Defeated St. Michael’s
18 (23) Stony Brook 5-0 Defeated Fairfield by 1, SoConn by 7.
19 (Unr) Salisbury 3-0 (4-0) Defeated St. Mary’s and Towson
20 (Unr) Bloomsburg 2-0-1 Defeated Drexel, West Chester
21 (9) West Chester 2-1 (6-1) Defeated York, Lost to Bloomsburg
22 (10) East Carolina 0-1
23 (11) Humboldt State 0-0
24 (Unr) Hamilton 3-0 Defeated Oswego
25 (Unr) Buffalo State 4-0 Defeated Le Moyne, Canisius

UMass club rugby looks to continue undefeated season

Posted on 01 October 2009 in the Daily Collegian!

The No. 17 Massachusetts club rugby team has mauled, rucked and scrummed its way to a perfect record thus far into the 2009 season. It looks to continue its exemplary play through the second round of conference action and into the postseason.   “[I’m] excited about how everyone is working as a unit. [The team] is firing on all pistons, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to be tuned up,” UMass coach Al Baker said.  The team is in an unfamiliar position atop the New England Rugby Football Union Division II Standings. Last season they could only manage a single win in conference play and, for five years prior, had trouble marking anything in the win column at all.  This season has proven to be a different story, though, as the Minutemen have dominated the pitch in all four games they played and seem poised to finish out the season in a similar fashion.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

On Sept. 5, UMass earned a close win in a preseason game against an Albany team that got the best of them during spring play. That game was a test for the squad and a good gauge going into conference play.

In a match against bitter rival and neighboring school Amherst College the next week, the Minutemen played a more complete game winning a one-sided affair 51-3. Since then, the team has played as a cohesive unit in victories against top-tier conference opponents Coast Guard (2008 NER championship second runner-up) on Sept. 19 and No. 16 Rhode Island last Saturday.

Baker has credited his team’s stability as being the biggest reason for its success. The team represents a healthy balance of veteran leadership and energetic youth. Practicing as many seniors as they do freshmen is evidence of this.   High school recruits and talented transfer students give UMass a wealth of talent to pull from, allowing Baker more choices on game day and providing necessary relief for injured players, something he believes the Minutemen sorely lacked during their rough 2008 season.  It has been a complete team effort for the Maroon and White with players always willing to pick up the slack. Dominating play by the Minutemen’s physical forwards is opening up opportunities for the speed and elusiveness of their backfield to exploit them for scoring chances.

UMass has been relentless in its scoring, recording over 32 points per game while its commitment on the defensive end has been equally impressive holding opponents to nine points per contest.

According to Baker, the team is a very proud defensive squad with 15 men in pursuit at all times and eyes on recovering possession of the ball. The team aspect that this year’s Minutemen exhibit is very promising; yet, Baker won’t let their recent success distract them from their ultimate goal: Win every game.

UMass looks to do some tuning up for a post-season run this Saturday in a rematch against Amherst. Baker predicts a controlled game by the Minutemen and hopes to experiment with some different lineups. He expects the results of this weekend’s game to be similar to the first meeting. However, he was sure to urge his team this week not to look past the winless Lord Jeffs.

“[The team] has proved that they can win; now they have to prove they can be consistent,” said Baker.

Daniel Gigliotti can be reached at dgigliot@student.umass.edu.

September 5th, 2009 by Coach Baker

UMASS 34 - UAlbany 30 

UMASS B's 52 - Albany B's 0

We kicked off the Fall on September 5th with a return match with the University of Albany, who beat us in the Spring, a tough loss 17-25. This time, a another hard fought match, we reversed the result.  We played at home, in front of a friendly crowd.  We scored three tries.  The tries were scored by Scrum half Josh Reid, Full Back Clark Hoopes, and the Freshman Wing from Cambridge Rindge and Latin-Jose Zapata.  Josh Reid also converted two tries and 5 of 5 penalties. Scoring 24 of our 34 points and earning him man of the match.  Albany started the scoring at 10 minutes, and we were down 0-5, at 25 minutes Reid scored a try near the post, with the conversion of his try and a previous penalty we took the lead 10-5.  Albany fought back and in three minute, off a wheeled scrum, scored in the right corner.  The half ended with the score 16-15, with two more penalties converted by Reid.  The battle continued into 57 minutes, with the points mounting 19-15, 19-18, and 22-18.  We took control at 63 minutes with Zapata stealing a pass, just outside our 22 meter line, out running the Albany pursuit, scored his first try in his debut.  The Reid conversion made the score 29-18.  At 75 minutes, with a strong movement down the pitch, with forward and back support, the attack finished with Hoopes bullying his way into goal.  We lead 34-18. The final 5 frustrating, penalty ridden, minutes, ended with an Albany "tap and go" try at the whistle. The final was UMass 34 - Albany 30.  We scored 8 tries in the B team game, winning overwhelmingly 52-0.

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August 3rd, 2009

 Gentleman,

   We've had an active summer!  Many players playing 7's, 10's, 15's and even 13's. We had a successful Pig Roast - Alumni match.  There's an arguement as to whether or not it was the first time or the second time the undergraduates beat the Alumni. It doesn't matter, soon they (we) won't remember anyway.  I hope you all had a great summer and look forward to a great season.  I hope you've all stayed in shape.  I hope we don't have to use the camp to get in shape, but to test it.  I'm looking forward to developing our individual, unit and team skills.  We have an exciting opportunity to come into this season, more prepared and postured to take our division for the first time in a long while.  I suspect, that this will not be the conclusion to our highest vision, but the beginning. 

Our march to a National Championship, to a Territorial Championship, to a New England Championship begins today.

It's time to back off on the weight room and hit the road.  Run, bike, row, and running some more are essential...go out today, tomorrow, and the next.  Run, think about your game.  Run some more.  You can't be in too good of shape. I plan to come into camp ready! Tactics, Strategies, and Desire.  I expect the same. Come to camp!

Coach

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July 26,2009

The Pig Roast '09.....the Undergrads 29, the Alumni 15!  Great Day!  Good Company!  More to come...