Bomber Women win home game opener Illinois 15 - Bombers 38

Saturday, March 10, 2007 - St. Louis, MO

 
On a beautiful day at Sportport, the Bomber Women got back on track during their 2007 home opener with a 38-15 victory over a hard playing University of Illinois side. The Illini came ready to play and dominated the first twenty minutes of the match. Through some hard work and good off-loading by their forwards, the Illini notched three unconverted tries in the first 21 minutes of the match. The inexperienced Bomber forwards began to match their opposites at breakdowns and were able to stall the Illini attack. After stealing three consecutive lineuouts, Katie “Slim” Giljum was able to steal a fourth and Jen Kelly dotted down from the ensuing maul to post the first Bomber try of season; a try which also proved to be a crucial change in momentum for the Bombers just before halftime 5-15.

The improved set Bomber forward began to pay dividends, setting the dangerous Bomber backs free for a flurry of second half tries. Newcomer Kelsey Risman raced around her opposite number and outpaced the Illini deep three to score her first try that was converted by Bomber flyhalf Ann-Marie Russell. Russell did a fine job moving the ball wide to her backline the entire second half and was rewarded with an unconverted try of her own at the 47 minute mark. Kelsey Risman notched her second try of the day with an intercept that she took 60 meters to dot down between the posts for the converted try. The Illini came back with a break of their own and would have gone the distance if not for No. 8 Dre West making a long run capped with a try saving tackling inches from the line. The Bombers stormed back out of their end and Jen Kelly would put in her second converted try of the day from the back of a maul at the 74 minute mark. Liz Reed came on late in the match and with her only second touch of a rugby ball in a year, seemed to pick up where she left off sprinting past a number of would be defenders to score a converted try center-post to round out the Bomber scoring at the 78 minute mark for a 38-15 victory.

Much credit goes to the Illini who made the trek to St. Louis and put in 80 hard minutes. The youthful Bomber women made some strong strides this week and will continue to improve. Many thanks to all the Bomber men and alumni who supported the women in their home opener.