AU vs. PSU hells yeah!

So today was our Big Game against Penn State - and we rocked it. We played so. damn. well.

Now, understand that Penn State is the #2 team in the country. That previously, they've swept us away with points solidly in the triple digits.

Today? 0-64. And we started hard, finished hard, and went hard nearly the whole time inbetween. When we realized there was a problem, we fixed it. They're getting a run off the kickoff and scoring a try? Fixed. They're getting breakaways leaving the fullback alone? Well, not fixed, but it damn well got better. We played hard and we played fast and we never gave up. When we got discouraged, we brought each other back up. It took them 13 minutes to score their first try. PSU probably expected nothing out of us - and that is NOT what they got.

Before the game, Kellie and Colleen (our captains) gave us Lucky Charms (for luck) and ribbons with our names that said "15 together never loses - AUWRFC Fall 2006." It was 15 as one out there - we weren't 15 ruggers, we were a team. It was amazing.

I know for me personally it was the most I've ever put into a rugby game. I played all 80 minutes of the A-side, and I took everything I had and left it on the pitch - and then kept playing. By the end of the game, I was so worn out I was dizzy and shaking, but I was still sprinting to get to the ball and support, and I've never been prouder. It was my second game flanking, but this time I knew what I was doing. PSU's flyhalf wasn't scared enough of me by the end of the game, but I was aggressive and loud at calling the ball out. Bean and I worked up some excellent teamwork in killing whoever caught the ball off the kickoff. It wasn't the best I've ever played, but it was the hardest.

B-side was less exciting (for me, at least). I was pretty out of it between games, but I had a 20g protein bar and drank a liter of gatorade and got back in it (seriously, I was gone after that first game. I need to work on my fitness). For the second half of B-side, I went in at 8man, which was fun, but not too long into the half I tackled someone, hit my head, and spent 5 or 10 seconds figuring out which way was up again. I probably could've kept playing, but I didn't want to take any chances, so that was the end of the day for me.

Nonetheless, it's the best day of rugby I think I've ever played.