Rugby head coach Frank Graziano said the team is currently looking at rescheduling the game against Michigan State, but “it’s still up in the air.”

Graziano said as of Monday afternoon he is in the process of rescheduling the Senior Day game that was supposed to be played Saturday at Lakeside Rugby Field.

“We’ll try, but nothing’s a guarantee,” Graziano said.

Saturday’s game against Michigan State was canceled after the death of women’s basketball assistant coach Jackie Moore. The Eastern athletic department canceled all home athletic events over the weekend following Moore’s death.

The Panthers are 9-0 this season and are on a 25-game winning streak.

“When you’re playing well, you want to continue to play,” Graziano said.

At least four will be lost

Regardless if the season is finished, the Panthers will have to play without the services of four seniors and a junior who is graduating early.

Seniors Chase Cain, Stephanie Militello, Ashley Jenkins and Crystal Jones have all made significant contributions to the program.

Junior Tiffany Kennedy also plans to graduate early and student teach next fall.

Graziano said Jones is likely to be done for the season. Jones was on crutches last week, and Graziano said doctors have thought about surgery for her knee.

Emergence of freshmen

Graziano said the freshmen have really picked up the game of rugby, and that it will be needed for next season.

“It was really a breakout game for (freshman) Kayla Heal,” Graziano said.

Heal had four trys, and freshman Lauren Doyle had a career -high five trys. Doyle also converted 7-of-11 two-point conversion kicks as the Panthers routed the Southern Illinois-Carbondale club team 103-0 Oct. 31 in Carbondale.

“(Heal) is probably now where she is where she should have been in the middle of the season,” Graziano said.

Heal missed time with a sprained ankle and has been spending extra time with Graziano to do more one-on-one drills. She now has six trys on the season.

Graziano said Heal had runs of more than 50 or 60 yards, which hadn’t happened all season because of her injury.

Doyle is second on the team with 20 trys, only two trys behind Jones. Doyle also has 10 assists this season.

“They’ve earned the trust of the veterans,” Graziano said.

The streak continues

Even if the game isn’t rescheduled, the match could go down as a no-contest, and this season’s team would match last year’s team as undefeated.

The 2002 team also went undefeated. The 2008 team finished 10-0. The 2002 finished 11-0.

The Panthers have outscored their opponents 533-58 this season. The Panthers have posted five shutouts this season.

Glance at other NCAA teams

In Division II, West Chester lost to Delaware Saturday 6-3 in the Eastern Pennsylvania Rugby Union Championship.

The Golden Rams are 4-4 in the fall season.

Eastern defeated West Chester in 2008 and lost in 2007 in the premier first NCAA women’s rugby game.

All of Eastern’s other wins have come against club teams this season.

There are two NCAA Division III programs that sponsor women’s rugby at a varsity status. On Oct. 31, Bowdoin College defeated Wellesley 20-12 to capture the NERFU “Plate Division” title.

Norwich advanced to the Northeast Championship with a win 70-14 against Marist Saturday in Northfield, Vt. Norwich (9-0 NERFU, 13-3-1 Overall) will host the Northeast Championship Saturday and Sunday.

They will play the winner of the Radcliffe-SUNY Geneseo game for a chance to play in the final.

Kickoff times will be set later in the week.

Kevin Murphy can be reached at 581-7944 or kjmurphy@eiu.edu.