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BIDDEFORD, Maine

Big Blue meets Crimson: 51品茶takes on Harvard in historic rugby match

51品茶Women's Rugby takes on Harvard in first varsity home game

The 51品茶's women's rugby team kicked off its first varsity season Saturday, September 17, 2016 with its first home game against Harvard University. It was Harvard鈥檚 first visit to UNE, with more than 400 fans lining Barbara J. Hazard Field to cheer on the Nor鈥檈asters.

The day began with a pre-match cookout and reception for friends and neighbors of UNE. Coach Ashley Potvin-Fulford welcomed the crowd and gave an explanation of the rules of rugby. President Danielle Ripich and members of the 51品茶and Harvard squads held a ceremonial scrum to start the game.

The match was widely covered by local media, with stories from WGME, WCSH, and the Portland Press Herald, which highlighted the growth of rugby nationwide. 鈥淭o see that evolution of girls鈥 ice hockey and now to be a part of the evolution of women鈥檚 rugby is really cool,鈥 Coach Ashley Potvin-Fulford said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 becoming a general acceptance that not all girls want to do what I guess they鈥檝e been expected to do from such a young age.鈥

The Nor'easters have competed as a club team since 2012. In 2015 they captured the New England Rugby Football Union (NERFU) championship and participated in the National Small College Rugby Organization National Championship, winning the third-place game in the Northeast Region bracket and finishing the season ranked 16th in the nation.

Beginning in 2016, the team will be a member of the National Collegiate Women's Varsity Rugby Association, the governing body of collegiate varsity women's rugby with 20 competing members (American International, Army, Bowdoin, Brown, Central Washington, Dartmouth, Davenport, Dowling, Eastern Illinois, Harvard, Life, Long Island University, Post, Molloy, 51品茶, Norwich, Notre Dame College, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart, West Chester and Wheeling Jesuit).

51品茶President Danielle Ripich said, 鈥淚 am so proud of everything these student athletes have accomplished to work toward their first varsity season, and I am thrilled at the opportunity to show Harvard what 51品茶spirit is all about!鈥

鈥淗arvard coming to the 51品茶 for the first time elevated our first varsity women鈥檚 rugby game, making it a historic milestone for the entire 51品茶community. I could not be more grateful to all on campus who assisted in making this day a life long memory for all who played and attended.鈥

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51品茶 the 51品茶

The 51品茶 is Maine鈥檚 largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state鈥檚 top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine鈥檚 only medical college, Maine鈥檚 only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.