Stanford Invitational
Stanford would like to thank all of the teams who came to the Invitational this year. The level of play was outstanding, and the competition between teams was significantly higher than it has been in past years. We hope that this trend continues, as women's rugby becomes a more dynamic and nuanced sport. We had a lot of fun this year and hope that we get to see all the participating teams next year. Thanks for coming!
Stanford Recap:
The Sun gods smiled brightly at Stanford this weekend, as Stanford Women's Rugby hosted the fourth annual Stanford Invitational. At times there were three pitches running matches, and teams from California, Oregon, Colorado, Wyoming, and New Mexico came to compete in the tournament. Each team played three 40-minute games the first day and then competed in bracketed play the next.
Stanford got off to a shaky start as they let their first match go to Oregon 5-10. Oregon's size and sheer desire for the ball helped them disrupt Stanford scrums and dominate rucks. However, Stanford then regrouped and everyone started trusting that everyone else would do their jobs. Hard-hitting strike moves from the back line and some fresh players helped in defeating Wyoming 41-3. The next game was a step down for Stanford's level of play, as players did not consistently clear out beyond the ball (UCLA were very physical and did not give up a meter without a fight), but the pace and work rate was up, and Stanford pulled out another win against UCLA 14-0.
Stanford's 2-1 Saturday record seeded them fourth in bracket play, and they started out their Sunday games against UCSB. Again with some fresh players, Stanford packed on the heat and played an outstandingly fast-paced game, resulting in a 40-0 win. The next match proved to be all that Stanford hoped for. The strong New Mexico team put up a fight around the rucks and made some great steals all throughout the game. Stanford continued to bring a great work rate, while New Mexico's kickers looked for and found space on the field. Throughout the match, the score fluctuated, as both teams continuously raised their level of play. In the end, Stanford pulled ahead to 21-15 in order to advance to the finals.
Reminiscent of previous years, Stanford played Chico State in the final match of the Invitational. The two teams, well known to each other, worked incredibly hard to retain the ball in contact, as both sides fought for possession of the ball. However, Stanford’s 'new' 'smart' work rate and the advice from their coach (Griffin) to run until they had to be dragged off the field allowed Stanford to pull ahead and win the game 26-0. The back MVP of the tournament was Heidi Overton (New Mexico), and the forward MVP was Kelsey Harter (Chico). Stanford also picked their own MVPs. The back MVP of was Ramine Cromartie (great tactical decisions and tackles), and the forward MVP was Alyssa Tennant (popping up everywhere with great strides forward).
Stanford Recap:
The Sun gods smiled brightly at Stanford this weekend, as Stanford Women's Rugby hosted the fourth annual Stanford Invitational. At times there were three pitches running matches, and teams from California, Oregon, Colorado, Wyoming, and New Mexico came to compete in the tournament. Each team played three 40-minute games the first day and then competed in bracketed play the next.
Stanford got off to a shaky start as they let their first match go to Oregon 5-10. Oregon's size and sheer desire for the ball helped them disrupt Stanford scrums and dominate rucks. However, Stanford then regrouped and everyone started trusting that everyone else would do their jobs. Hard-hitting strike moves from the back line and some fresh players helped in defeating Wyoming 41-3. The next game was a step down for Stanford's level of play, as players did not consistently clear out beyond the ball (UCLA were very physical and did not give up a meter without a fight), but the pace and work rate was up, and Stanford pulled out another win against UCLA 14-0.
Stanford's 2-1 Saturday record seeded them fourth in bracket play, and they started out their Sunday games against UCSB. Again with some fresh players, Stanford packed on the heat and played an outstandingly fast-paced game, resulting in a 40-0 win. The next match proved to be all that Stanford hoped for. The strong New Mexico team put up a fight around the rucks and made some great steals all throughout the game. Stanford continued to bring a great work rate, while New Mexico's kickers looked for and found space on the field. Throughout the match, the score fluctuated, as both teams continuously raised their level of play. In the end, Stanford pulled ahead to 21-15 in order to advance to the finals.
Reminiscent of previous years, Stanford played Chico State in the final match of the Invitational. The two teams, well known to each other, worked incredibly hard to retain the ball in contact, as both sides fought for possession of the ball. However, Stanford’s 'new' 'smart' work rate and the advice from their coach (Griffin) to run until they had to be dragged off the field allowed Stanford to pull ahead and win the game 26-0. The back MVP of the tournament was Heidi Overton (New Mexico), and the forward MVP was Kelsey Harter (Chico). Stanford also picked their own MVPs. The back MVP of was Ramine Cromartie (great tactical decisions and tackles), and the forward MVP was Alyssa Tennant (popping up everywhere with great strides forward).
posted at 5:43 PM
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