Boxscore (PDF)
CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Senior Coartney McKinney kicked three two-point conversions, setting a new career mark in the process, as Eastern Illinois women's rugby ran past visiting Minnesota, 46-0, on Sunday afternoon at Lakeside Field.
The win improved the Panthers to 5-1 on the season and 3-0 all-time against the Golden Gophers.
McKinney, a local Charleston product, entered the game with 121 career conversions as she tied former EIU standout Jamie Buenzow's total from 2001-05. Unfortunately her first four attempts failed to get thru the uprights as each came at a difficult angle.
However, the final try prior to halftime was placed right in the center of the in-goal area, allowing McKinney to easy boot the first of three conversions on the day. She now owns 124 all-time two-point kicks and most assuredly will continue to add to that tally with five more games to come in her final year as a Panther.
Sophomore center Lauren Doyle led the EIU attack, running in four trys on the day, while freshman wing Cara Hahne added three trys.
Doyle also dished out two assists as well, as did Narissa Ramirez, while freshman Shelby Musselman notched her first career try as well.
Defensively, sophomore Kelsi Wright earned nine solo stops and freshman Jordan Connelly led with three assisted tackles as the Panthers notched 39 total solo tackles and 15 assisted stops. Senior co-captain Emily Harrison led all EIU players with three steals-at-tackle and added two tackles.
The Panthers took an early 27-0 halftime lead and added three more scores enrout to the shutout win. The visiting Golden Gophers did manage to threaten to to get onto the scoreboard in each half, as Minnesota had numerous attempts to get into the EIU endzone in the second half, but the Panthers were able to get out of the threat.
In unofficial numbers, EIU had an advantage in line-outs won, ten to eight, but lost the scrum numbers as Minnesota pushed forward to win 15 while the Panthers had just 10 scrums go their way. Eastern also committed approximately 26 penalties to 18 for the visitors.
EIU will continue their two-game homestand as they will host another Big Ten power next Sunday (Oct. 10), as Michigan comes to town for an 11 am matchup.
... for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SID
