On a sunny yet crisp October morning, the Stevens Point Panthers rugby team took the field against the Milwaukee Bruisers in a battle for seventh place in the state tournament. The match kicked off at 11 a.m. on October 26, 2025, the temperature lingering in the 50s, considerably perfect rugby weather. Regardless of defeating the Bruisers earlier in the regular season, the disadvantaged SPASH team entered the match, missing two of their top players due to injuries. The match that followed was a hard fought rematch that would evaluate SPASH’s determination and teamwork under pressure.
The Panthers kicked the game off with a strong first half. By halftime, Stevens Point held a 30-21 lead, with every try hard-earned though no extra points converted. The missed kicks began to add up, leaving valuable points on the field. Injured team captain Aubree Rzepka voiced “We came in with the mindset of playing our game and giving everything we had,” Though the Panthers were a few key players short, everyone stepped up and filled the shoes that needed to be. The effort showed, but as the half wore on, fatigue became a factor. The team was clearly gassed, battling through exhaustion to hold their defensive line and create a confident lead entering the second half. Despite the reduction of energy, the players’ determination reflected a season’s worth of team growth.
Coming out of halftime, the Panthers hoped to carry their momentum and tighten up defensively, but the Milwaukee Bruisers came out strong, quickly finding their rhythm. The Bruisers capitalized on small mistakes and took advantage of Stevens Point fatigue, pulling ahead midway through the half. When asked how the team handles pressure Rzepka responded “Lots of games tested us, those moments taught us how to stay calm under pressure.” Though the team was run down, SPASH continued to fight for every possession, relying on teamwork and grit to keep the game within reach.
In the final minutes, SPASH managed to break through for two more tries, narrowing the gap to 49-42. The conversion kicks were not on their side and would decide the outcome of the game, as the team remained unable to add a single extra point. Rzepka mentioned, “We might not have gotten the win but we showed how far we’ve come since the start of the season.” Even in defeat, the teams’ determination and resilience stood out as proof that their goals towards team growth had been achieved even if the score didn’t demonstrate that specifically.
Although the loss stung, SPASH left the field with their heads held high. The team had proven their resilience throughout the season, overcoming injuries, tough matchups and, and high pressure moments to finish strong at state. “This season wasn’t only about winning games, but also growing together as a team.” Rzepka said. With that mindset, the Panthers look ahead to the spring season with confidence and determination, ready to build on their progress and come back even stronger.
