Showdown vs. App State

Across the south, matrix season is starting to wind down.  Final games will be played over the next couple of weeks, and yet some of the winners have already been decided.  Many teams have already established themselves as the team going to regionals, but not here, not in the NC Dogwood Division.

Appalachian State was moved from DI to DII this year, creating a stir among the NC teams.  App played their first three games demolishing the competition, never allowing more than 7 points scored against them in one game.  UNC Charlotte has done the exact same thing.  The two teams will face off in the final matrix game on Saturday February 25 11am at App.  There is no real history between the teams, the last time they faced off was in the fall of 2009 when UNC Charlotte was first starting out.

Going into Saturday, both teams are tied in points for matrix, so the winner of this game, takes it all.  The winner goes to regionals, the winner represents NC for the south, the winner gets the glory.  And the loser, well the loser just gets to stand back and watch.

Both teams have something to prove.  Appalachian State is proving its ability after moving to DII.  Charlotte is proving it belongs back at Nationals.  If you skipped a game or two this season, waiting to watch some action, this is the game you want to see.  This is the game we'll be talking about for years to come.

Kickoff: 11am on Saturday February 25, 2012

Location: Kidd-Brewer Stadium 270 Stadium Dr, Boone, NC 28607

Last Home Game

This is just our second matrix season.  Our first spring we only had 6 players, our second we were developmental - we played matrix games, but they didn't count.  Last year was our first official season, and we went to Nationals.  This year we hope to go back to nationals, but it also marks a huge year for us.  Our seniors have been with us from the beginning.  They have been together through all the ups and downs for all the years of this team.  Saturday is our third game of matrix, but it is the last game our seniors will play at home. It is the end of our beginning.

Please join us in supporting their love for the game and the team, support their dedication to our success.  Join us for our third match of matrix season Saturday February 11th at 3pm on the Charlotte Rugby Pitch against Elon University.

 Charlotte Rugby Club 2911 Bellhaven Circle Charlotte NC 28270

Update on Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 11:06AM by UNCC Women's Rugby

The wind was fierce, and by the time the game was over it was 35 degrees out.  But that didn't stop the Charlotte ladies from bringing home another win 47-7.

Game 2: HOME GAME vs. UNCG

Our second matrix game of the season will be in Charlotte on February 4th against UNC-Greensboro.  As our university pitch is under construction, we will be travelling across town to the Charlotte Rugby Pitch.  Please join us for an 11am kickoff!

Charlotte Rugby Club 2911 Bellhaven Circle   Charlotte NC 28270

Update on Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 6:38PM by UNCC Women's Rugby

Mud and rain always make for an interesting game. The cold just make it even more fun.

 Again, we started with a plan, and went to work.  Within 2 minutes, rookie full-back Danielle Moore showed more understanding of the game and scored her first try ever.    Minutes later Meghan Bradsher scored from outside center.  Greensboro rallied after the second try and ran us back to defend our try line.  After 10 minutes of hard work, they finally pushed through to score.

Charlotte realized that they would have to play defense in addition to offense during this game.  The rain and mud made for slick balls and lots of knocks.  Every scrum was a fight to the finish as Greensboro got low and pushed hard.    We fought hard defensively with major hits from Sydney Small, Stacie Rembert and rookie Liz Oliver.  We took control of the game and started to communicate, which allowed for a couple 30 and 50 yard runs - bringing in trys from Liz Alliss, Rise Shine, Dominique Williams and Meghan Bradsher.

At the end of the day - we walked off the field never letting Greensboro on the scoreboard again.  The final outcome 56-5.  Two games down, two to go.  Matrix isn't over and it will only get tougher from here.

MVP: Liz Alliss

Pack Player of the Game: Sydney Small       Back Player of the Game: Meghan Sydney

Defense Player of the Game: Stacie Rembert     Offense Player of the Game: Rise Shine

Journey Begins

It's a crisp Saturday morning in January.  

For the south - it's the beginning of matrix season, and our first game is today at 1pm against Wake Forest.  Just because we have beat Wake in the past, doesn't mean they are a team to count out.  They bring a strong game and it will take our A game to win.

This is our first of four matrix games this winter, and we have to win them all to make it to regionals.  

Let's go MEAN GREEN!

Update on Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 7:58PM by UNCC Women's Rugby

Even though we've beaten Wake in the past, we've always enjoyed playing them.  As our first game of the season, both teams were nervous prior to kickoff.  

When the whistle blew, UNC-Charlotte took control of the ball and never let up.  They followed their plan and came together as a team.  Even with new positions, Mean Green was ready for Matrix.  Liz Alliss scored the first try in minute 6 from eight-man off of a scrum.  Rookie flanker Jerolyn Madina wanted a piece of the action and scored 8 minutes later.  It seemed as if Charlotte never left Wake's half of the field.  Liz Alliss put a second try in before half time.

Short on subs, Wake Forest tried to regroup at the half, but they only got as far as the 20 before Charlotte took control again.  Tired of the pack having all the fun, the back line wanted in on the action and made some amazing runs up field.  Meghan Sydney scored twice from outside center.  Not to be left out Christina White scored off a lineout from scrumhalf.  And then to seal the deal, Liz Alliss scored two more tries.

One game down three more to go.  There is still work to do on this journey, but today we left it all on the field with a final score of 46-0.

MVP: Morgan Gales

Pack Player of the Game: Liz Alliss       Back Player of the Game: Meghan Sydney

Defense Player of the Game: Christina White     Offense Player of the Game: Dominique Williams

Sunrise to Sunset on the Road

At 5am on Saturday, UNCC Women's Rugby loaded up the vans and headed to Atlanta to play Emory University.  Kickoff was at 11am. After practicing in 30-40 degree weather, the heat was the first thing we met when we arrived.

Heat and exhaustion from getting up so early should have been factors in the game, but determination to win was the only thing the spectators saw.  From the time UNCC Women hit the field, the game was ours.  Meghan scored the first try with in minutes of starting.  Two other try attempts taught us that there was hole just over the line and you had to hang onto the ball.  Communication and quick hands got the ball out for a try by Christina and then the first of Cortney's three tries.  We continued to dominate the game, teaching Emory that teams that travel are still ready to play.  We exited the field with a score of 42-5 and one step closer to our goal.

MVP: Christina White, for quickness on her feet and communication

Pack Player of the Game: Jessica, for being at every ruck and tackle.  Back Player of the Game: Meghan for making every tackle and great hands

Offense Player of the Game: Maddy, for running straight and leadership  Defensive Player of the game: Victoria, for breaking their backline

Blood, Sweat, and Tears

Spring 2009 - ressurection was occuring after years without a team.  The typical practice held 6 players

Spring 2010 - a full-side, but still new team playing "developmental" matrix games

Today - UNCC Ladies played their first official matrix game as a real team.  The opponent - College of Charleston.  Last fall College of Charleston was ranked 24th in the Nation in Division II.  Luck was not on our side.

The team has been practicing for weeks, knowing that this game would determine whether or not we advance any further.  We had to win today or all of our dreams for Nationals would be lost.  

From the first minute, we wanted it worse than they did.  UNCC scored two tries and one conversion kick in the first 20 minutes of the game. Leaving it 12-0.  But then College of Charleston stepped in and scored a try - reminding us we had a good opponent. Scrums were spinning 90 degrees, lineouts were fights for a tap of the ball - backlines were pushed to their limit.  At the half it was 12-5.  Coming back from halftime - CoC must have had a great pep talk, because they were ready for us.    They knew they had to score two tries just to up us and that is exactly what they did.  10 minutes were left in the game when they scored that last try and with the score 12-15, UNCC women were done watching the game.  We put everything we had into those last 10 minutes.  Off of a penalty at the 22, Liz decided she had enough and took the ball for a crash and scored the final try of the game.   Minutes later the whistle blew, and the final score 17-15.

Congratulations to UNCC WRFC for playing an intense game of blood, sweat and tears.  Sometimes that is what it takes to win.

 Player of the Game: Natalie - for her tackles, kicks, and communication

Defensive: Cortney- for those tackles that saved us from losing     Offensive: Liz- for putting her heart out there

Back: Maddy- for leading both the backs and the team       Pack: Vic- for making tackle after tackle

Matrix Begins

Last Saturday should have been our first matrix game of the season, but days before we were to play the Citadel, the game was cancelled.

After that let down, UNCC Women are ready to take on College of Charleston on Saturday February 12, 2011.

Join us for the game of the season at 1pm on our home field!  Stay late and you can watch the UNCC men's team take on WCU after our game.  Later we'll be going to Buffalo Wild Wings!

2010 Comes to a Close

At 2am on November 20, NC State cancelled on us.    All of our hard work would not go to waste as we played a friendly game on our field.  

Thank you to everyone who came out in support of our team this year.  We have come a long way from a developmental team losing games, to a 6-0 season.

While our season is over for the year, all of us will continue to train and improve our fitness levels.  Please contact us if you want to join in.  

A special congratulations goes to those who are not done for the year.  NCRU U-23 AllStars will be going to a tournament on December 5th. Four ladies from UNCC made the team and two more made the reserve team. Maddy, Victoria, Liz, Sydney, Kat, and Christina, we are all proud to have you representing us.

Matrix season starts in the spring.  This year all of USA South was rearranged to meet new teams and provide a level playing field.  North Carolina Division II teams are generally a part of the Dogwood Division.  Being the southern most university in NC, we were moved to the Oak Division.  Oak includes College of Charleston, The Citadel, and Emory.  Please join us in the spring as we travel to within Oak to continue our quest to be Division Champs.  Our spring schedule is posted on the schedule page.