After coming off a tough loss last week at home to the Quinnipiac Bobcats, the Eastern Illinois women’s rugby team lost 66-7 to a group of Wisconsin All-Stars from seven different University of Wisconsin schools.

The 59-point loss is now the worst loss in program history after losing by 58 points last week against Quinnipiac in the season opener.

The schools Eau Claire, Madison, Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Platteville, Stevens Point and Stout were all represented for the Wisconsin All-Stars.

The Wisconsin All-Stars enjoyed a 24-0 lead at halftime as they scored five tries and two conversions.

Coming out of the break, the Panthers were controlling most of the field early in the third quarter.

“We were finding it a little bit, but then it gets out of rhythm,” Eastern coach Frank Graziano said. “The defense just disassembles itself. It would be different if the opposition forced us to disassemble ourselves, but we are just dissembling ourselves, and that’s the inexperience.”

The lone try for the Panthers came when Wisconsin All-Stars committed a penalty and Eastern sophomore Hannah Vieth was close-lined.

Vieth was credited with the try, and junior Carissa Burge booted the two-point conversion straight through the uprights for the lone Panthers score of the day.

Graziano said he liked the way Vieth played in her second-ever rugby game.

“Hannah was fine, her kicks are getting better,” Graziano said. “The position she is playing is so complicated. Her vision is starting to open up. She is a wonderful competitor.”

The Wisconsin All-Stars added 42 unanswered points in the second half, with Grace Hodve accounting for 39 of the Wisconsin All-Stars’ 66 points.

Graziano was impressed with the way the team competed all 80 minutes, despite the blowout loss.

“The girls played with a lot of guts and a lot of heart out there. I have nothing but praise for them with their effort and willingness to compete,” Graziano said. “That has always been a bonus for all of them.”

The Panthers edged the Wisconsin All-Stars in lineouts 12-to-6, and both teams were even at 12 in scrums won.

Eastern also had fewer penalties than the Wisconsin All-Stars, 18-to-26.

The loss dropped the Panthers to 0-2 on the season as they finished up their home part of their schedule.

Before the game at Lakeside Field, the Panthers honored three seniors—Emily Fitzgerald, Angelica Cerceo-Jensen and Shelby Pilch.

While heading on the road for the rest of the season-schedule, the Panthers will take on the University of Pittsburgh next 10 a.m. on Saturday in Pittsburgh, Penn.

Bob Reynolds can be reached at 581-2812 or rjreynolds@eiu.edu.