The Wildcats women’s rugby team returns to the field after 168 days. After losing seven of their last nine games, the Wildcats made their debut at home on Oct. 19. With new and returning faces alike, Coach Matthew Ramirez and Loose Forward Jessica Postle were ready to start the season on the right foot, stomping their opponent 106-0.
The teams first opponent was an unfamiliar one– The University of Oregon. The last time the Wildcats faced the Ducks was back in 2015, when the entire coaching staff and team looked entirely different. The way Coach Ramirez sees it, they can’t focus too much on what their opponent is going to do this early in the season.
“There’s not a lot of film on Oregon, as they’re getting their season going here,” Ramirez said before the game. “So it’s just, you know, focusing on us and what we can do, how we can prepare, and being, you know, ruthless at the basics for us, and then building from there.”
One of the leaders of the team is Postle. Ramirez praised the junior Loose Forward. “(Postle) has been great for us with her intensity and leadership,” Ramirez said. Postle was second in the team in “tries,” or grounding the ball in the opposing in-goal, with six, only behind fellow junior Winger Lilly Thomas.
When asked about the offseason, Postle ensured that they were keeping themselves ready for the challenge of this season. “We did a really good job this summer working on our conditioning and staying fit,” Postle said. “As in the past, one of our challenges was coming in fit and ready for our first games.” Ready the Wildcats were as they showed out in their debut game on Oct. 19.
The Wildcats jumped to an immediate lead against the Ducks, taking a 65-0 lead at halftime. The ‘Cats didn’t let up their foot off the gas as they put ball after ball into the opposing goal, winning 106-0. Despite the blowout, Postle still praised the Ducks for their play. “Even though it was a blowout, we still played all the way through and so did the other team,” Postle said. “They were such good competition still. They just gave us great defense and were consistent the whole way through.”
Postle described the process they go through the week before the next game. “We did most of what we could do before, and now it’s just about keeping our bodies healthy and just practicing for how they’re going to play, because [Brigham Young University (BYU)] is a very strong defense team,” Postle said. “So we got to work a lot this week on our defense and tackling.”
As Coach Ramirez looks to these future matchups, he has a unique perspective – “Every week’s a final, right? Right now, our final is Oregon,” Ramirez said. “It’s our big focus.” Up next for the Wildcats is the BYU Cougars in Provo, Utah before coming home to face rival Life University, who knocked them out of the playoffs last year. Postle hopes to find a big home crowd on Nov. 1 against rival Life.
