By Avonlea Cummings
Hometown Weekly Sports Reporter
The Needham Girls Rugby team hosted the Cambridge Rindge & Latin School on Friday, April 12, for their third game of the season. In a display of teamwork and effective communication, the Rockets secured their first-ever official win in the varsity program's history since its inception in the 2022-2023 season. Needham defeated Cambridge 48-15, concluding the game early at the end of the third quarter. The team's impressive performance in the first half instilled confidence, a trait that head coaches Dina Hannigan and Sara Rawan aim to maintain throughout the season.
In the opening quarter, Needham asserted control on the field, maintaining possession of the ball from the start. The Rockets surged ahead on the scoreboard with 19 points, scoring three tries from different players, with Arianna Tallarico adding four more points from successful conversions. Despite Cambridge's attempts to respond, the Falcons managed two tries, ending the first quarter with Needham leading 19-10.
Returning for the second quarter, Needham continued their dominance as a cohesive unit, winning scrums and retaining possession. Cambridge struggled to make offensive advances as Needham focused on lateral ball movement, resulting in three additional tries, including scores from Tallarico and Kathleen Fernandez. The Rockets closed the quarter with a commanding 36-10 lead.
After halftime, Cambridge intensified their offensive efforts, while Needham focused on refining their skills and transitions. Both teams engaged in intense tackles across the field. Needham extended their lead with another try and conversion, bringing the score to 43-10. Midway through the third quarter, Cambridge managed to score another try, concluding the evening with a final score of 15 points. As the clock winded down, Needham sealed their victory with one more try, courtesy of Allie Curtis, ending the game 48-15.
Coach Rawan shared how their energy at the start of the game was the foundation for such a successful match for the team: “Their attitude and their energy, was really good going into this game. We’ve been really focusing on working well together, working hard together, communicating well, and we saw that come into fruition when they played on the field. As soon as they were on that field they were ready to go,” said Rawan.
Coach Rawan and Hannigan expect to see more wins from their boasted confidence as a result of the evening’s win, noting it has been a long time coming for the Rockets: “More wins, seeing the girls grow individually and as teammates. They’re really starting to come together, their chemistry is coming along very nicely… Going forward we want more wins,” said Rawan.
Hannigan added onto Rawan’s insights, sharing: “Now that they have a win and they know what this feels like, we feel like this is going to really motivate them to keep this going and keep this camaraderie.”
The girls are set to host Lincoln-Sudbury on Friday, April 26, the game is set to begin at 5 PM.
