BY MIKE DOYLE
m-doyle.1@onu.edu
The ONU Men’s Black Rose Rugby Club began its 2008 fall season with a strong win over the Marion Rugby Club.  The squad brings high expectations onto the field against any opponent, but this season the team’s focus lies on one rival in particular.
“These past two years of playoffs have been rough,” Tim Smith, Black Rose president, said.  “We were knocked out both years by Xavier and are seeking vengeance this season. Beating Xavier and winning the playoffs isn't a dream this year; it’s an expectation.”
Last spring, the team lost one match.
“We hope to continue this tradition of winning and take first place in the playoffs this year,” Smith said.
The team will have ample opportunity to gain momentum by picking up key wins this Saturday against Kenyon Men’s Rugby Club and on Oct. 11 while hosting the Cleveland State University Rugby Football Club.
The upcoming match against Kenyon will be held at ONU on Sept. 27. The rugby pitch is located on the western edge of campus near the intramural fields and the stadium.
The ONU Women’s Black Rose Rugby team is healthy and also ready to make a big impact this fall.  After a spring season plagued by injury, the team is excited to have a few key returners and a wealth of incoming talent.
The women’s intensity and desire to win equals that of their male counterparts and, similarly, the girls also have their eyes set on a championship.  
“We’re hoping to get a win at home on Saturday versus Kenyon,” Kristen Haskins, senior club officer, said. “We're planning on continuing the winning streak all the way to the championship just as we did two years ago against Wittenberg.”
Both squads are optimistic and focused on continuing to establish the Black Rose Rugby Club as a collegiate powerhouse in the Ohio Rugby Union.  
Haskins sees endless possibility in the rosters this fall.
“With all the pieces falling into place, this season could potentially be one of the best we've ever had,” she said.
Admission to rugby games at ONU is free. The women’s match will begin at 11 a.m. with the men’s following at noon on Sept. 27.