TAMPA, Fla. - The Davenport women's rugby team traveled all the way to Florida to compete in the prestigious Tropical 7s Tournament, featuring teams from around the world and age divisions ranging from Under-12 to Over-23. Despite the intense Florida heat — with temperatures reaching 91°F during the first match — the Panthers showed incredible resilience and put on a dominant performance. They kicked off their tournament with a 39–0 victory over Clemson, setting the tone for the weekend. On Day 1, DU finished with three commanding wins (Lander and Central Florida), racking up a total of 113 points while only allowing five points scored against them. Special shout out to
Marla Aymond, who led the team in scoring with an impressive eight tries, totaling 40 points for the Panthers!
Day 2 brought more success, with the Panthers securing another win over Florida State (24-0) to advance to the championship game. In the final, the team faced their toughest challenge yet against a strong Vikings side from Durham College. The Vikings struck early with two quick tries and a successful conversion, putting the Panthers down 12–0. But the Panthers responded with heart — Aymond broke through for DU's first try, followed by a clutch sideline conversion from
Leilani Lepe, cutting the deficit to 12–7 by halftime.The second half started with another Vikings try, widening the gap to 7–19. Still, the Panthers refused to back down. After a beautiful offload from
Grace Gohl,
Rachel Wilkie crossed the try line for another DU score, and Lepe once again nailed the conversion. Despite a furious comeback, the Panthers fell just short, with a final score of 19–14.
This game highlighted the resilience, determination, and grit of the Panthers — proving that even with a small squad, they could accomplish amazing things on the field. Now, the Panthers are turning the page and getting ready for their next big challenge, which is CRAA 7s Nationals in Indianapolis, Indiana starting on May 2.
- Charlie: try 2 (5 points),
- Kara: try 1 (5 points)
- Marla: try 8 (5 points),
- Rachel: try 3 (5 points)
- Nicky: try 3 (5 points)
- Lani: try 1 (5 points)
- Kyla
