Women's Rugby | 5/20/2017 8:56:00 PM

GLENDALE, Colo.- The Central Washington University women's rugby team defeated two of three opponents Saturday to place second in Pool B of the USA Rugby 7s College National Championships.
 
The Wildcats, who earned the No. 5 overall seed for the championship knockout rounds, will face the No. 4-seeded United States Military Academy Sunday morning at 10:40 am MST in the quarterfinals.
 
A Central Washington victory against the Black Knights would result in a semifinal matchup against the winner of Lindenwood vs. Michigan for a chance to compete for the National Championship Sunday afternoon.
 
The other quarterfinals on Sunday are Life University vs. UC Davis and Penn State vs. Dartmouth.
 
The Wildcats kicked off the day with a 31-7 victory over the Aggies of Texas A&M University. Suiluana A'au began CWU's scoring attack in the second minute of the match, with a clean break down the right side of the field. The Wildcats took a 19-7 lead into halftime on tries by sophomores Leah Ingold and Paige Wyatt. Wyatt tallied her second try of the match in the opening minutes of the second half and A'au added to CWU's advantage in the 11th minute. A back-and-forth battle would ensue for the remainder of the contest, with neither side finding the try zone.
 
Later in the day, CWU faced a talented University of Michigan squad. The Wildcats rallied behind the stellar play of junior Ashley Rolsma, who scored a try in the match and had multiple defensive stops. Forward Leah Ingold entered the game in the fifth minute following a Wildcat injury. Ingold burst past through the try line after snatching an errant Michigan pass for Central's first score. Two minutes later the Wildcats extended their lead to 14-0 when Wyatt offloaded to Rolsma for her first try of the tournament. Michigan attempted to mount a comeback in the early goings of the second half with a 12-0 run, but the Wildcats sealed their victory with a try by Wyatt and conversion by Meyers in the closing seconds of the match.
 
"Pool games today and the ladies came out ready to play," CWU head coach Mel Denham said. "We had a good run in the first match, got the legs moving. Second was a bit slower, not our best performance, but we came out with the win at the end."

Central Washington squared off against defending national champions, Life University, in the final fixture of the day. The first half of the match featured Life scoring 17 straight points. The tide began to turn in the opening minute of the second half, starting with a long gain up field by freshman Spencer Boldt, who found A'au for the Wildcats' first try of the match. Life responded with a try of their own, to extend their advantage to 24-5. Senior Cassidy Meyers showed her veteran leadership, breaking through the defense for a try. With time running out, Rolsma found space and scampered into the try zone to reduce Life University's margin of victory to 24-17.
 
"Heading into the third match vs Life, we knew we had to be our best," Denham explained. "First half was a little rocky, but the ladies were able to make a few small adjustments at half time and really turn things around for what I believe was our best performance of the day."
 
"Cassidy Meyers had some fantastic try saving tackles and Spencer Boldt injected fire and speed, disrupting things around the field," Denham added.
 
The Wildcats will look to build on Saturday's outings in the win-or-go-home setting of championship Sunday. Battling against some of America's best college rugby competition, CWU will need to leave it all out on the field in order to reach the National Championship.  
 
Scoring Summary vs. Texas A&M University
02:00  Suiluana A'au 5, Cassidy Meyers 2
04:00 Leah Ingold 5, Cassidy Meyers        2
05:00 Paige Wyatt 5           
07:00 Texas A&M 7
Halftime Score: Central Washington 19, Texas A&M 7
09:00 Paige Wyatt 5, Paige Wyatt 2
11:00 Suiluana A'au 5
Final Score: Central Washington 31, Texas A&M 7
 
Scoring Summary vs. University of Michigan
05:00 Leah Ingold 5, Cassidy Meyers 2
07:00 Ashley Rolsma 5, Cassidy Meyers 2
Halftime Score: Central Washington 14, Michigan 0
08:00 Michigan 7
10:00 Michigan 5
14:00 Paige Wyatt 7, Cassidy Meyers 2
Final Score: Central Washington 21, Michigan 12
 
Scoring Summary vs. Life University
03:00 Life 5
06:00 Life 7
07:00 Life 5
Halftime Score: Central Washington 0, Life 17
08:00 Suiluana A'au 5
09:00 Life 7
11:00 Cassidy Meyers 7
14:00 Ashley Rolsma 5, Cassidy Meyers 2
Final Score: Central Washington 17, Cassidy Meyers 24
 
-CWU-