DePauw rugby's win against Indiana Wesleyan University was a huge stride for the club's future. It was only the second win for the team in the last five years. However, we were able to put up big numbers and play stingy defense as we beat the Jackelopes 49-12.
This achievement would not be possible without the commitments from our coach Professor Bob Dewey, and senior captains Nate Shriver and Ricky Martinez. Coach has shared his expertise on the game at every practice, and our captains hold the team accountable and organize practices outside the normal hours.
The rest of the team has matched our leaders' enthusiasm as well. Attendance at practices has increased as the season continues. We also have a large group of players new to the game, including myself. The combination of commitment and leadership was no doubt the reason we were able to win our most recent game.
The beginning of the fall season was rough. The team suffered losses to University of Southern Indiana, Indiana State University and our nemesis, Wabash College. Defense increased as we have allowed less and less points each match. Scoring was our greatest difficulty. The team was unable to score in each of those matches.
The team addressed this issue in practice. We worked out the kinks in passing and off the ball movement. There was also an emphasis on conditioning and communication. Each day we got better at both an individual level and as a unit. New players focused on sharpening fundamentals while the captains and coach made sure everyone had a complete understanding of the rules and strategy.
The hard work paid off against IWU. First-year player Eddie Gable took the opening kick to the house off a beautiful pass from junior Mafi Topou, which set the tone from the opening whistle. We had secured the lead by halftime and let our defense take care of the rest, allowing only two scores.
Another factor of our win were the fans on the sideline. Their excitement kept us motivated and our opponents irritated. Their presence created a true home field advantage. Having said that, the team needs all the fans we can get. Our games are played on the intramural fields, Saturday afternoons. This weekend we are hosting Hannover College at 1 p.m. on Saturday for a best of three in a seven-on-seven tournament. Seven's rugby is fast paced and exciting and there will be a lot of scoring. Come support the rugby club and bring your friends.
Another key date is the final game of our fall season against Wabash. The scheduled date is November 15, the eve of Monon. Due to some scheduling conflicts the game has potential to be played at home Friday night. It has been roughly seven years since DePauw has beaten Wabash and the team believes this is truly our year. All of the effort put into practice is for a common cause, beating Wabash. The talent pool we have with coach's knowledge of the game provides us with a prime opportunity to defeat Wabash.
Hopefully the team's success will attract more attention on campus. Numbers are always helpful whether its more fans or more people interested in joining the team. Our goal is to become a team used to winning and we are definitely headed in the right direction.
--Semba s a junior English Writing major from Hinsdale, Ill.