The Clemson Women’s Rugby Club is off to a hot start this fall, winning its first two matches of the season. Now, the team has its sights set on the first home game of the season this Saturday.
The team won the Division I Club National Championship just two years ago and is consistently among the top club rugby teams in the nation each year. Most recently, Clemson was ranked in the top 20 of the Division I-AA coaches poll and expects to remain a top team throughout the season.
Already over a quarter of the way into the season after just two games, the Tigers are proving themselves to be deserving of their ranking. The team opened the season against the University of Georgia and defeated the Bulldogs in a commanding 90-0 victory.
Following the huge win, the club took on Lander this past Saturday in a much tighter match, earning a 19-17 victory. Team president McKenzie Bottomley said the win over Georgia gave the Tigers the boost they needed against Lander.
“Lander has always been one of our toughest opponents, and we knew that it was going to be a really hard-fought game,” Bottomley said in an interview with The Tiger. “Running off the 90-0 gave us the extra edge that we needed to pull off that win.”
With two games behind the team, Clemson has the momentum rolling in its favor. The Tigers hope to keep that momentum going throughout their remaining five games as they take on two top-20 opponents in their next three games.
While the task of facing such high-quality opponents can be daunting, it is nothing new for the team. When it comes to Clemson’s future matchups, team captain Elise Branch said the Tigers are simply taking on the season one game at a time.
“Looking too far ahead can get you distracted from what you are trying to do,” Branch told The Tiger. “Next weekend we have Howard, and that one’s going to be a battle, too.”
With the season now in full swing, the Tigers are focusing on having fun. Branch and Bottomley both echoed that the players are very cohesive and play best when they’re out on the field laughing and enjoying time with each other.
Beyond just having fun, though, the Tigers have high expectations for themselves. Branch said that the hope is to win their conference, the South Atlantic Rugby Conference and qualify for nationals in December.
“I think with our current team, it’s very possible, with our determination and grit and energy,” she said.
Clemson women’s rugby faces off against Howard this Saturday at 3 p.m.
