Pre-Game Release (PDF)

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois women's rugby will take to the road one final time this season, traveling to Ames, Iowa to face the Cyclones of Iowa State on Saturday (Oct. 29).  Kickoff has been moved up to an 11 a.m. start.

EIU enters the game with a perfect 7-0 mark on the season following a hard-fought 24-5 home victory over arch-rival Northern Iowa last weekend to celebrate Homecoming.

ALL-TIME EIU-ISU SERIES HISTORY ...
Saturday's contest will be the fifth meeting between the Panther squads and Cyclones, with EIU having won all fourth of the previous meetings.  In 2010, EIU blanked ISU, 55-0, at home.

The last time that Eastern traveled to Ames, Iowa, was back in 2009 as the Panthers returned with a 61-5 victory.

HEAD COACH FRANK GRAZIANO ...
Sporting a 107-19 all-time record, EIU skipper Frank Graziano enters his 13th season leading the Panther rugby squad.  He currently owns an 91-7 NCAA season tally, which began with the 2002 squad.

COACH GRAZIANO SAYS ...
“I hope we can keep the momentum going... we were on such an emotional high when we played against Northern Iowa... it will be a challenge to see if we can bring enough intensity to this road game.”

RECAPPING THE BATTLE WITH UNI...
Eastern Illinois women's rugby ran past visiting rival Northern Iowa for a hard-fought 24-5 victory last Sunday afternoon to remain undefeated at 7-0 on the season.

Four different Panthers earned a try on the day, as junior Ashley Aardsma scampered for a score off an assist by sophomore Cara Hahne at the 13th minute of the first half.

Less than three minutes later, senior captain Narissa Ramirez finished a big run with her own score, and following a two-point conversion from junior Lauren Doyle, the Panthers held a 12-0 halftime lead over UNI.

Hahn would earn her own try following the start of the second half to extend EIU to 17-0 over the visitors.

The Purple Panthers of UNI would counter with their own score but fail in their two-point conversion attempt to trail 17-5.

Doyle would put the finishing touches on the Eastern scoring with a try up the gut of the UNI defense and then boot the two-pointer for the final 24-5 margin of victory.  She would end the day at 2-for-4 in conversion points.

Defensively, freshman Nia Williams set a new season-high solo tackle mark with 15 stops, followed by 11 tackles by junior Stefanie Mahan.

Doyle's five steals-at-tackle tied her previous school record tally that she twice had earlier earned in her career.

Unofficially, the game featured a combined 47 penalties as both squads continued their intense rivalry on the rugby field.  The EIU Panthers have now won three straight over the UNI Panther unit.

In other unofficial statistical numbers, EIU topped UNI in scrums won via a 16-12 advantage, while the Purple Panthers outpaced EIU for line-outs at 10-to-seven.

PANTHERS MOVE UP CAREER LIST  ...
Senior captain Narissa Ramirez continues to add to her school-record career assist mark with 67 to her name heading into the weekend.

Junior Lauren Doyle added five steals-at-tackle in the crucial win over UNI and with that tally set a new all-time mark by a Panther with 38.  With another season to come she will most assuredly continue to add to that number.  She has 15 SAT on the year which ties for 3rd in the single-season list.

Doyle also registered her 400th career point last weekend, which ranks No. 3 in the Panther record book.

Stefanie Mahan moved to No. 3 in career tackles as she currently sports 169 solo stops as a Panther.

TICKLED 'EM PINK  ...
Last Sunday's home game versus UNI was designated the 'Pink Game' as the team accepted donations and sold pink shirts to assist the Susan G. Komen fight against breast cancer.

As in the past, Panther players donned their best pink laces, among other items, at the game in honor of fans, family and friends who are battling or lost their fight to breast cancer.

WEEKEND WEATHER PROJECTION ...
According to weather.com, perfect weather is on tap for Saturday in Ames, Iowa, with sunny skies, and zero precipitation expected.  Highs are set for the low 60s.

... for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SID