Saratoga Mustangs Girls A Team Whallop New Albany Girls, 60-0.

In a game marked by wet and cold weather, the Saratoga Mustangs Girls A team wracked up an astonishing 12 tries in 60 minutes against a very young Albany-Schenectady-Rensselaer (ASR) Girls team behind the strong running of their pack en route to a 60-0 victory.

Saratoga's experience was evident, even with the number of relatively inexperienced players that they had on the pitch Friday night. Running somewhat light on numbers because of call-ups to the Super A team by a number of regular A players due to many juniors taking SAT's on Saturday and a recent outbreak of mono, it was the first time many of the girls had significant playing time for Saratoga.

That didn't seem to matter, however, as the pack dominated scrums, mauls, lineouts, and rucks against an ASR team playing only their second game. There were several breakout performances, but none more enjoyable to watch than rookie second row Samantha Gross (BH-BL). Awarded Rugger of the Match honors by the coaching staff after the game, Sam scored the first points of her career on a pounding try up the left side of the field which would end up being the first of three on the day. She accompanied her scores with fast, hard hitting runs up the middle of the field, and at one point rumbled 40 meters before being tackled by ASR's fullback. She was also a monster as a second row in the scrum, which repeatedly pushed ASR's scrum back off of the put in. Amazingly enough, Sam also levied some brutal hits, smacking ASR runners repeatedly and helping keep the ball out of Saratoga's half of the field for almost the entire game.

Sam wasn't the only one getting in on the action, however. Regular Super A's Eight Man, Eva Meier (Ballston Spa), who was playing Friday due to the SAT's, scored an astonishing four tries of her own, none of which were easily scored. The bruising junior plowed her way into the try zone each time dragging a defender with her.

While Meier and Gross combined for 7 of the Mustangs 12 tries on the day, they were also accompanied by what can only be described as pack that was running with a vengeance. Fellow Super A Regular and SAT taking Junior, flanker Jordan Scacchetti (BH-BL) chipped in a try of her own, as did her counterpart, freshman flanker Maranda Rotundo (BH-BL) which was her second of the season. Sophomore prop Colleen Peek (BH-BL) also scored her first career points with a punishing run for a try through the heart of ASR's defense, literally dragging three girls with her. Surprisingly, however, was that three of the girls who didn't score Friday night were some of Saratoga's most bruising runners. Scrum Captain and prop Nadia Alvarez (BH-BL) and German Exchange student Jenny von Rosen (BH-BL), were a force to be reckoned with, often just running over the opposition. Both led in pod play and were never brought down by a single defender. Brianne Briggs (BH-BL) play from hook was superb and the petite but rugged sophomore repeatedly frustrated ASR defenders with her quick and smacking running. Strong play was also chipped in by prop Colleen Kelliher (BH-BL), new comer Ivonne Ortega (Ballston Spa), and hook Brianna Adams (BH-BL) .

Pack players weren't the only ones getting in on the scoring action. Line Captain and scrum-half Olivia Guay (BH-BL) was effective with her new role, distributing the ball very well and claiming a try of her own by diving on a loose ball in the try zone. Another nice surprise was the running and play of brand new comer Joya Clark (Scotia) who managed to catch a pass in the middle of traffic and cruise right through the middle of ARS' defense for the final score of the game. The line featured new fly-half and hard running senior Paula Rehm (Ballston Spa), center play by Jessica Vunk (BH-BL), Amanda Barletta (BH-BL), Ashley Balls-Suarez (BH-BL), Kristine Hayes (BH-BL), the wing work of Heidi Pastor (Shenendahowa), Julia Sell (BH-BL), Kristie Lynch (BH-BL), and fullback Sara McFadden (BH-BL).

One thing that can be said for Albany-Schenectady-Rensselaer is that they NEVER stopped coming. The played HARD the whole game and even managed a drive deep into Saratoga's end of the field in the waning minutes of the second half, coming up just short of scoring. This resolve was very impressive and as this young club gains experience, the Capital District can expect some excellent battles with Saratoga and other clubs we all expect to develop as we look to 2009.

The lone mar on the day was Saratoga's continued issue with its place kicking, going 0-12 on conversions and 0-26 on the season.

The Saratoga Mustangs Girls A Team improved to 3-0 with the victory.