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St. Cloud State University
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Rugby merits top five rank
By Derek Sullivan
Published:
Monday, September 22, 2003
Hockey is not the only Division I sport at SCSU this fall.
SCSU men's rugby team was certified as one of 24 Division I teams and after winning the All-Minnesota tournament over the University of Minnesota, they showed they belong.
Last weekend, SCSU defeated Minnesota 21-17 and then the University of Duluth 10-8.
Fifth-year Mike Gobeli scored in the closing seconds to pull out the victory over UMD.
"We trailed 10-5 until the final seconds, when Mike scored a try," said team leader Matt Jarolimek. "A try gave us five points, and put us up 10-8."
SCSU has a large number of veterans among the 28-player roster. Gobeli and Beaudry Vreeland are in their fifth year. Jarolimek, Nick Nelson, Matt Peterson and St. John's transfer Nick Shatek are in their fourth year of collegiate rugby.
SCSU plays in the Midwest region and only one team out of the region will advance to the Division I playoffs. SCSU still is in good position to make a championship run, but will need to defeat two strong opponents in coming weeks.
First up is the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Stout, a long-time rugby power, will arrive at Selke Field Sept. 27th.
"UW-Stout defeated us by three points last year, and always field a strong club," Jarolimek said.
The following week will be a rematch between SCSU and UMD who will without a doubt be looking for revenge after SCSU's last-second win at the All-Minnesota tournament.
"We need to beat Stout and Duluth to win our pool and advance to a playoff game in Indiana against the University of Indiana Mudsharks," Jarolimek said. "It is a 16-hour trip by car. If we beat them it is a match against number one ranked Ohio State University."
The SCSU men's team is currently ranked 5th in Division I.
Mike "Sporty" Becker coaches the men's team. Becker, a former professional player from Scotland, coaches voluntarily and travels up from the twin cities each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for practice.
"He does it out of the goodness of his heart," Jarolimek said "We try to help him out with gas money and do what we can."
SCSU also has an up and coming women's team that placed second to the Gophers at the All-Minnesota tournament last weekend.
The SCSU women are playing Division II this year, but are hoping to move up a class. That could mean more games versus the Gophers and possible matches against Midwest powers Marquette, Wisconsin, and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
"We are on the verge of moving up to D-I", said team member Abby Tongen. "If we continue to play well, we should move up."
The women's team has done a strong job of recruiting the past year. Thanks to a strong group of newcomers, the team is up to 30 players with a solid 15 starting each match.
"We don't have anyone out of position," Tongen said. "All of our backs and forwards have been able to stay the same position. That is a big plus."
The team has kept their core together for the past four years. Fifth-year players Becky Reynolds, Jessica Campeau, and fourth-year players Tongen, Nicole Borgen, Lindsey Keenen and Brooke Pierce provide plenty of leadership for new recruits.
"A lot of girls have stuck it out," Tongen said. "Even if they got hurt, they stayed with the club and tried to help out."
The women's team plays in a four-team conference with St. Benedicts, North Dakota State University and University of Minnesota-Duluth. The team goal is to place among the top two in the conference. The top two advance to the Minnesota Finals Four in Blaine, Minn.
"We are usually at the top of our conference or the top of our league," Tongen said. "We hope to play well in Blaine and advance to the Midwest Sweet Sixteen."
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