Soccer isn't the only sport at UB creating excitement this season. Unbeknownst to most students, the men and women's club rugby teams are generating buzz with their successes in postseason play.
The men and women's teams, nicknamed the Mad Turtles and Flying Squirrels respectively, are about to embark on a journey that could put them in a position neither team has been in before. Both teams have advanced to the Northeast Rugby Union regional final four this weekend, and both are just one win shy from breaking into a top 16 national bracket.
The Mad Turtles will have to get past Dartmouth in order make their mark on to the national scene, while the Flying Squirrels will have to overcome Radcliffe.
The two teams traveled similar paths to get to the final four, as both beat Syracuse two weekends ago to win the New York State Championships. The Flying Squirrels then earned a crushing win against Dartmouth last weekend, coming away with a 38-7 victory.
Senior history major Laura London was overjoyed about last weekend's win.
"It was a phenomenal feeling because it was the climax of an already really successful season," London said. "I've seen the progression of the team from the beginning of my career at UB to now and it was just an overall tremendous feeling."
The Mad Turtles were able to attain an impressive 20-15 win against Northeastern in the same round of the men's tournament. Junior business major Rob Mercurio said although he's traveled deep in the playoffs before, Saturday was still a powerful victory.
"It was awesome," Mercurio said. "Actually, I didn't even know what to do with myself. I sat on the field for like an hour after everyone left and was just in a state of awe."
The Mad Turtles are no rookies to the NRU final four. They have been here three out of the last four years and seen their chances to advance to nationals crumble each time. This time around, the Turtles are coming in with a little more fire in their bellies.
"This year is a special year because we got a really good crew," Mercurio said. "Everyone is just pumped and ready to go. It's going to be an intense weekend."
This round of the playoffs is a new experience for the Flying Squirrels.
"We're feeling great," London said. "It's the farthest that we've gone and just the feeling that we are making history is wonderful. It could be the start of something amazing."
The Mad Turtles are heading into the Dartmouth match against a higher ranked team, but that hasn't shaken their confidence, as they have their sights set on the round Nationals.
"We just placed into top 20 in the nation after last weekend for the first time and Dartmouth is ranked fifteenth," Mercurio said. "If we beat them, we get a bid to nationals and that would be the first time we've gotten that far."
In order to get themselves into the hard-hitting, bone-crushing mentality that the Mad Turtles will need for a game of this stature, the players use a method that is anything but usual.
"There's this thing from 'Gladiator,' " Mercurio said. "Before the first battle Maximus goes around and shakes everyone's hand but in the old Roman handshake style. Forearm to forearm. We do that before every game. It's like we're preparing to fight a battle with our brothers by our side."
Since this weekend marks the Flying Squirrels' first visit to the NRU final four, the team believes they have a unique advantage going into the Radcliffe game.
"One thing we really have going for us now is that we're unknown," London said. "We have a lot of scouting reports on their team, but they don't know much about us. We have that element of surprise on our side."
Both teams will play at the University of Massachusetts on Saturday. The women's game is scheduled to start at noon and the men will begin at 2 p.m.
