Army West Point Athletics
Friday, September 25
University Park, Pa
7 PM
Army West Point
vs
Lindenwood
Women’s Rugby Set to Battle Top Teams at Penn State
September 25, 2015 | Women's Rugby
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Boasting a 3-0 record and sitting atop the conference, the Army West Point women's rugby team will travel to State College, Pa., to face Lindenwood and host Penn State in a pair of weekend contests.
Army will square off with Lindenwood at 7 p.m. on Friday before facing the Nittany Lions at 9 a.m. on Sunday.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Visit www.GoArmyWestPoint.com for up-to-date information and follow the Black Knights on Twitter @ArmyWP_WRugby.
THE GAME
The Army West Point women's rugby team will travel to State College, Pa., for a pair of meetings with two of the nation's elite teams. The Black Knights will battle Lindenwood on Friday and Penn State on Sunday, looking to continue their success over the sport's top teams. Army enters the weekend with a record of 3-0, claiming wins over conference foes American International, Quinnipiac and Norwich. Penn State is 1-0, earning a victory over West Chester, while Lindenwood is 2-0, capturing victories over Northern Iowa and Indiana.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Currently slotted in third in the latest Women's D1 College Top 20 list, making the jump from the 10 spot, the weekend will be a meeting of three top-five programs. Penn State holds the nation's top spot with a 1-0 record after defeating West Chester 71-5. Lindenwood boats a mark of 2-0, capturing wins over Northern Iowa (132-0) and Indiana (130-0).
ARMY'S LAST TIME OUT
The Black Knights are coming off of a 43-17 victory at Norwich, the first win over the Cadets in program history.
Norwich got out to an early lead, earning a 10-0 lead through six minutes.
Lindy Clark scored back-to-back tries, with Nicole Heavirland converting on the second, cutting the Norwich lead to 12-10.
Norwich scored in the 16th minute, booting the kick, to go up 17-12.
Clark continued her dominance in the 37th minute, earning her second score of the afternoon, as Heavirland converted the try to send the Black Knights into the break with the 19-17 lead.
In the opening minutes of the second half, captain Chioma Odocha scored, followed by a try from Carissa Pekny, and a conversion by Heavirland, to put the Black Knights up 31-17.
Heavirland posted a penalty try in the 74th minute and Odocha earned her second score of the afternoon, as Heavirland posted another conversion, giving Army the 43-17 win.
CLARK NAMED AAA ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Three first half scores in the Army West Point women's rugby team's 43-17 victory over conference rival Norwich has earned firstie Lindy Clark Army Athletic Association Athlete of the Week recognition.
This is the first career AAA Athlete of the Week honor for Clark and the second consecutive week in which a member of the women's rugby team has earned the distinction as Nicole Heavirland garnered last week's honors.
Clark opened up the scoring for the Black Knights in the eighth minute, cutting the Norwich lead to 10-5. She scored again in the 11th minute to tie the game, as teammate Heavirland converted the score to put Army up 12-10.
The Cadets regained the lead with a try and conversion in the 16th minute, but Clark's third try of the afternoon in the 37th minute tied it up once again. Heavirland converted her second kick of the afternoon to send the Black Knights into the half with the two-point advantage. From that point on, Army held Norwich off the scoresheet, earning its first win over the national powerhouse in 15s action.
With the win, the Black Knights improved to 3-0 on the season, earning three straight wins over conference opponents to open the year. Army will return to the pitch on Friday and Sunday as it travels to State College, Pa., for a pair of meetings with two of the nation's strongest teams. They'll face off with Lindenwood on Friday before battling host Penn State on Sunday.
ARMY WHO TO WATCH: NICOLE HEAVIRLAND
In just her first collegiate semester of 15s action, Nicole Heavirland has been a force to be reckoned with for the Black Knights. The Whitefish, Mont., native has posted five tries and five conversions, including three straight tries to propel the Cadets to a 29-26 win over Quinnipiac.
Heavirland scored a penalty try and posted four conversions in the win over Norwich.
"She brings that experience, she brings that x-factor or whatever you want to call it," said head coach Bill LeClerc. "She's obviously one of the best athletes here at West Point. She's got confidence in herself and she gives confidence to her teammates and they work hard for her."
HEAVIRLAND COPS AAA HONORS
After leading the Army West Point women's rugby squad to a 29-24 victory over conference foe Quinnipiac, Heavirland was named the Army Athletic Association Athlete of the Week on Sept. 14.
This is the first AAA Athlete of the Week nod of the season and second of her career for Heavirland.
Competing in her first collegiate 15s game, Heavirland scored the opening try of the game for the Black Knights in the 38th minute of action, sending Army into the break down 14-7.
With the Bobcats holding a 24-12 advantage mid-way through the second half, Heavirland began her scoring onslaught, rattling off three straight tries in the 61st, 69th and 82nd minutes.
In the 69th minute she tied the game at 24-24 after successfully converting her own try. With stoppage time expiring, she found the try zone in the 82nd minute to put the Black Knights on top 29-24 and ensure the win.
In total, the Whitefish, Mont., native accounted for 22 of the team's 29 points on the afternoon.
MEET YOUR CAPTAINS
Leading the 2015-16 squad will be captain Mariah Caid-Loos and vice-captain Odocha.
Caid-Loos posted four tries in 15s action in the 2014-15 season before falling to injury. Odocha earned three tries in 15s action and four on the 7s pitch. Since the start of the 2015-16 year, Caid-Loos has posted one score, while Odocha has earned two.
CLASS RINGS
The Class of 2016 received their class rings in a ceremony held at Trophy Point on Aug. 28, 2015. A time-honored West Point tradition, the Class of 2016's rings contain gold from 356 West Point graduates donated to the West Point Association of Graduates in addition to steel melted down from the World Trade Center.
UP NEXT
Army will return to the pitch at Anderson Rugby Complex on Oct. 10 when they host American International under the lights at 7 p.m. The game will be a rematch of the season opener in which Army captured a 29-26 victory over the Yellow Jackets.
Army will square off with Lindenwood at 7 p.m. on Friday before facing the Nittany Lions at 9 a.m. on Sunday.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Visit www.GoArmyWestPoint.com for up-to-date information and follow the Black Knights on Twitter @ArmyWP_WRugby.
THE GAME
The Army West Point women's rugby team will travel to State College, Pa., for a pair of meetings with two of the nation's elite teams. The Black Knights will battle Lindenwood on Friday and Penn State on Sunday, looking to continue their success over the sport's top teams. Army enters the weekend with a record of 3-0, claiming wins over conference foes American International, Quinnipiac and Norwich. Penn State is 1-0, earning a victory over West Chester, while Lindenwood is 2-0, capturing victories over Northern Iowa and Indiana.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Currently slotted in third in the latest Women's D1 College Top 20 list, making the jump from the 10 spot, the weekend will be a meeting of three top-five programs. Penn State holds the nation's top spot with a 1-0 record after defeating West Chester 71-5. Lindenwood boats a mark of 2-0, capturing wins over Northern Iowa (132-0) and Indiana (130-0).
ARMY'S LAST TIME OUT
The Black Knights are coming off of a 43-17 victory at Norwich, the first win over the Cadets in program history.
Norwich got out to an early lead, earning a 10-0 lead through six minutes.
Lindy Clark scored back-to-back tries, with Nicole Heavirland converting on the second, cutting the Norwich lead to 12-10.
Norwich scored in the 16th minute, booting the kick, to go up 17-12.
Clark continued her dominance in the 37th minute, earning her second score of the afternoon, as Heavirland converted the try to send the Black Knights into the break with the 19-17 lead.
In the opening minutes of the second half, captain Chioma Odocha scored, followed by a try from Carissa Pekny, and a conversion by Heavirland, to put the Black Knights up 31-17.
Heavirland posted a penalty try in the 74th minute and Odocha earned her second score of the afternoon, as Heavirland posted another conversion, giving Army the 43-17 win.
CLARK NAMED AAA ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Three first half scores in the Army West Point women's rugby team's 43-17 victory over conference rival Norwich has earned firstie Lindy Clark Army Athletic Association Athlete of the Week recognition.
This is the first career AAA Athlete of the Week honor for Clark and the second consecutive week in which a member of the women's rugby team has earned the distinction as Nicole Heavirland garnered last week's honors.
Clark opened up the scoring for the Black Knights in the eighth minute, cutting the Norwich lead to 10-5. She scored again in the 11th minute to tie the game, as teammate Heavirland converted the score to put Army up 12-10.
The Cadets regained the lead with a try and conversion in the 16th minute, but Clark's third try of the afternoon in the 37th minute tied it up once again. Heavirland converted her second kick of the afternoon to send the Black Knights into the half with the two-point advantage. From that point on, Army held Norwich off the scoresheet, earning its first win over the national powerhouse in 15s action.
With the win, the Black Knights improved to 3-0 on the season, earning three straight wins over conference opponents to open the year. Army will return to the pitch on Friday and Sunday as it travels to State College, Pa., for a pair of meetings with two of the nation's strongest teams. They'll face off with Lindenwood on Friday before battling host Penn State on Sunday.
ARMY WHO TO WATCH: NICOLE HEAVIRLAND
In just her first collegiate semester of 15s action, Nicole Heavirland has been a force to be reckoned with for the Black Knights. The Whitefish, Mont., native has posted five tries and five conversions, including three straight tries to propel the Cadets to a 29-26 win over Quinnipiac.
Heavirland scored a penalty try and posted four conversions in the win over Norwich.
"She brings that experience, she brings that x-factor or whatever you want to call it," said head coach Bill LeClerc. "She's obviously one of the best athletes here at West Point. She's got confidence in herself and she gives confidence to her teammates and they work hard for her."
HEAVIRLAND COPS AAA HONORS
After leading the Army West Point women's rugby squad to a 29-24 victory over conference foe Quinnipiac, Heavirland was named the Army Athletic Association Athlete of the Week on Sept. 14.
This is the first AAA Athlete of the Week nod of the season and second of her career for Heavirland.
Competing in her first collegiate 15s game, Heavirland scored the opening try of the game for the Black Knights in the 38th minute of action, sending Army into the break down 14-7.
With the Bobcats holding a 24-12 advantage mid-way through the second half, Heavirland began her scoring onslaught, rattling off three straight tries in the 61st, 69th and 82nd minutes.
In the 69th minute she tied the game at 24-24 after successfully converting her own try. With stoppage time expiring, she found the try zone in the 82nd minute to put the Black Knights on top 29-24 and ensure the win.
In total, the Whitefish, Mont., native accounted for 22 of the team's 29 points on the afternoon.
MEET YOUR CAPTAINS
Leading the 2015-16 squad will be captain Mariah Caid-Loos and vice-captain Odocha.
Caid-Loos posted four tries in 15s action in the 2014-15 season before falling to injury. Odocha earned three tries in 15s action and four on the 7s pitch. Since the start of the 2015-16 year, Caid-Loos has posted one score, while Odocha has earned two.
CLASS RINGS
The Class of 2016 received their class rings in a ceremony held at Trophy Point on Aug. 28, 2015. A time-honored West Point tradition, the Class of 2016's rings contain gold from 356 West Point graduates donated to the West Point Association of Graduates in addition to steel melted down from the World Trade Center.
UP NEXT
Army will return to the pitch at Anderson Rugby Complex on Oct. 10 when they host American International under the lights at 7 p.m. The game will be a rematch of the season opener in which Army captured a 29-26 victory over the Yellow Jackets.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Rugby
/ Women's Rugby
/ Women's Rugby
/ Women's Rugby
/ Women's Rugby
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