The Air Force Academy Women’s rugby team defeated Colorado State Sunday 53-19 in conference play.

Both teams had to battle wind, rain, and sleet on a wintry day.

CSU began the match with an early score right from the kickoff for a quick five points. AFA junior fullback Maddie Midas started the scoring for Air Force with a breakaway run up the right side of the pitch after she was set up by sophomore scrumhalf Lauren Bramblett. Freshman winger Jenny Bruggemann assisted sophomore center Rhea McFarland with a switch pass to the outside. After a ruck at center pitch in the CSU red zone, the ball was sent to Jenny Bruggemann, who exploited an overload for the first her three tries. Junior flyhalf Allie Baumgarten kicked the conversion.

Freshman scrumhalf Krystyn Gonzales, who came into the match for the injured Bramblett, was on her way to score when she was stopped illegally, leading to a penalty try. Just before the end of the first half, senior outside center Lydia Hill (normally a prop) set up Bruggerman's second. The first half ended with Air Force up 29-5.

The second half scoring began with another breakaway by Midas up the middle. Well into the second half the weather turned to a strong gale wind out of the north, driving sleet at a 45 degree angle right into the face of the AFA defense. CSU capitalized and scored two tries back-to-back, both converted. Air Force replied eel with three tries - Bruggerman completed her had trick, and then freshman prop Lauren Fortney took a pass out of a ruck in CSU’s red zone and passed it out to McFarland for her second. Freshman flanker Annika Edgington added the conversion. The last score was all junior flanker Marika Nemeth as she drove the ball through three CSU tackles and touch the ball down right between the uprights. Eddington added the extras to finished game 53-19.