Wisconsin Opens Season by Smashing Sirens, 90-7

The Wisconsin Women kicked off their first Division II Midwest season by defeating the Chicago Sirens, 90-7, at Chicago.

Backs Captain Jackie Limberg lead her Wisconsin teammates in scoring with six tries for 30 points, while Forwards Captain Katie "Ber" Rouse nailed 10 conversions for 20 points.

Normally a forward, Rachael "Rack" Weiker ran in three more tries from her new position on the wing and wowed her teammates with her speed and tenacity. Rachael earned Wisconsin's Player of the Game honors for her hard work Saturday on the wing and also jumping in the lineouts for the first 50 minutes.

Rookies Katie Williams (Flanker) and Mary Hanks (No. 8) joined veterans Jen "Petey" Peterson (Flyhalf) and Perla Cassetta (Wing) in rounding out the try scoring.

The only try given up was a penalty try due to a high tackle coming off a Siren weakside overload and the ensuing conversion kick.

Credit to the Sirens, a young team with a new crop of players, for their hard hits and scrappy play. They disrupted several Wisconsin rucks early on as Wisconsin shook off the summer rust and remembered how to play.

Wisconsin was forced to readjust its strategy after the new five-meter rule was not enforced off scrums, but the women from Madison pulled their game together and began to dominate play.

Following the match, the Sirens coach congratulated the Wisconsin Women on their "great technical play" and Chicago named Strongside Flanker Katie Williams as its chosen visiting Player of the Game for "being everywhere and tackling everyone".

Wisconsin's veterans also applauded the play of the team's new players starting in their first 15s game in the red and white - Williams, Hanks (a UW-Madison graduate), Jenn Johnson (UW Grad) and Megan Bondehagen.

Wisconsin Roster (City, Previous Team):
1. Katie "Ber" Rouse (Milwaukee, WI - Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison)
2. Meg Dickoff (Madison, WI - Amherst College)
3. Lena Arvola (Mt. Horeb, WI)
4. Bev Briggs (Dubuque, IA)
5. Aletha Petersen (Stevens Point, WI - Univ. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point)
6. Nadia Riese (Madison, WI)
7. Katie Williams (Madison, WI)
8. Mary Hanks (Madison, WI - Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison)
9. Jenn Johnson (Madison, WI - Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison)
10. Jen "Petey" Peterson (Madison, WI - Univ. of Minnesota)
11. Perla Cassetta (Fond du Lac, WI)
12. Melodie French (Madison, WI - Oberlin College)
13. Jackie Limberg (Madison, WI - Marquette Univ., Chicago NS)
14. Rachael "Rack" Weiker (Madison, WI - Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison)
15. Jessica Burda (Madison, WI - Univ. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point)

Substitutions:
16. Megan Bondehagen (Madison, WI) in for No. 5 Aletha Peterson, at Prop.
Katie Rouse to Flyhalf (10), Jen Peterson to Fullback (15), Jessica Burda to Lock (5) and jumper, Nadia Riese to Lock (4), Mary Hanks to Flank (6), Bev Briggs to No. 8.

Next Up:
Midwest league game vs. Minneapolis Menagerie, Saturday, Sept. 13 at Columbia Park, Minneapolis. Kickoff - 11:30 a.m.

Photo: Rachael Weiker, flanking vs. Milwaukee Scylla, May 2008