With their backs against the wall in a winner-take-all game, the Eastern Illinois women’s rugby be team answered the challenge from the Ohio State Buckeyes with a dominating 42-12 victory.

“They had a good week of practice,” coach Graziano said. “They were up for it.”

The team pushed the Buckeyes up and down the field all day Sunday to catapult them in to the first found of the regional playoffs next week where they square off against Marquette University.

Despite trailing at the half 12-9, the Panthers (3-3) regained their composure and shut out the Buckeyes for the remainder of the game.

Eastern scored first on a field goal form Jeanine Frederick, who contributed 15 of Eastern’s 42 points. She went 3-for-3 in field goals and only missed one extra point conversion.

The first half, and the entire game, was controlled by the Panthers.But the first half seemed to be more physical then the second, as the Panthers were able to score at will.

The Panthers jumped out to an early 6-0 lead, setting the tone for the entire game. The Buckeyes scored on back-to-back plays with the second score coming off of a 60-yard run for the score. After the Buckeye fast-break of a run, the Panthers were able to drive downfield and score again before the half cutting the Buckeye lead to three.

In the opening minutes in the second half half, Jessica Ball was able to get five more points for the Panthers with our first score of the game not coming off the foot of Frederick. The extra point conversion was good and from then on the Panther’s scored at will.

It was a game of ball control, and Eastern controlled the ball. Graziano was critical of his squad earlier this season, saying that his team “left it on the practice field” but Erin Voelz felt otherwise on Sunday.

“Today we did play how we practiced,” Voelz said. “We proved that we deserved to (play in regional playoffs).”

Sunday’s game on the Lakeside Rugby field was the final home game of the season and the team, and especially the seniors, wanted play their best.

“(We) showed them who they came to play and we came to win,” Ball said. “(We) want to use this momentum to go in to Marquette.”

With Eastern’s next game marking the official start of the regional playoffs, the Panthers will travel to Milwaukee and face the Marquette University women’s rugby club on Sunday Nov. 28th in yet another elimination game.