FAIRFIELD, Conn. – In their fall home finale, the Sacred Heart women's rugby team fell to American International University, 69-15, Saturday afternoon at Park Avenue Field. The Yellow Jackets, who were most recently ranked sixth in the NIRA Coaches Poll, controlled the contest from start to finish benefitting from five different goal scorers. The loss settles the Pioneers' autumn slate at 4-3 while the Yellow Jackets pause at 3-5.
Isabel Cuddy led the Pioneers' offense securing two tries. Tessa Buckey tallied the only other try for SHU.
Hilaria Lymas commanded AIC's offense as she registered a game-high three tries. Siale Alatini (2), Shamira Robles (2), Kayla Hunkin-Clark (2) and Elizabeth Harvey also contributed tries. Of Harvey's 10 attempted conversions, seven were deemed successful.
AIC edged SHU in scrum possessions, 11-8, though SHU won six to AIC's four in the first half. The Pioneers won more lineouts than the visitors, 3-2.
Hunkin-Clark led all with five runs of 20 while Margaret Woods' two stood in the forefront for Sacred Heart.
The Scoring:
- Alatini scored the first two tries of the afternoon opening up a 10-point AIC lead within the first 10 minutes of action.
- Buckey got the hosts on the board at the 13:02 mark with her try.
- Harvey added seven points to the Yellow Jackets score not only contributing a try but also seeing her conversion good in the seventh minute, 17-5.
- Cuddy brought her team to double-digits with her try with just under four minutes to go in the first half of competition.
- Lymas rallied her try late with time expiring and Harvey's kick with settle the halftime score, 24-10.
- AIC tacked on six more tries and totaled three conversions as the second half rolled out, all within a 30-minute span, 62-10.
- Cuddy rounded out SHU's scoring at Park Avenue at the 6:46 mark.
- Lymas (try) and Harvey (conversion) completed scoring for the contest 89 ticks before the final buzzer sounded.
Prior to kickoff, women's rugby took the time out to honor their lone senior, Woods. Woods was named an All-American honorable mention last season and was a four-year member of the Pioneers program.
