Davenport opened up its fall schedule with a telling cross-divisional victory Saturday. The Panthers played Big Ten's Indiana, traditionally the runner-up to Penn State in the DI conference, and won 72-10. The DII Panthers went up 45-0 before the Redstorm got on the scoreboard.

“Our continuity is at a high level this year because we have a lot of returning girls,” Davenport fullback Danielle Ordway explained. “We’re coming off [an ACRA] championship for 7s. Also, some of us continued to play all summer together with the Grand Rapids Gazelles for 7s. We will be as strong, if not stronger, than last year.”

Ordway also traveled with the Midwest Thunderbirds on the Wales tour and Women’s Junior All Americans (WJAAs) for the Can-Am Games this summer. The junior scored six tries on the day. Fellow WJAA Ashlee Byrge, who also helped the Women’s Collegiate All American 7s to an Elite City 7s title, scored two tries. Madison Sparks, a soccer crossover adding speed to the wing, and Brenna Donahue scored a try apiece, while Hannah Tennant slotted six conversions.

“We had great pods setting up and communicating with our scrummy,” Ordway spoke to the team’s advantages. “The forwards’ hard running made the defense suck in to stop our pack members, allowing our backs to have an overload and finish. Also, when our backs received the ball, we read their defense well by noticing if they were drifting. We were able to make a simple cutback and slice through.”

Shortly after half, Davenport coach Greg Teliczan experimented with some new combinations, moving Tennant to fullback, Byrge to flyhalf, Melissa Francis to inside center, and Ordway to outside center.  

“The only area of trouble Indiana gave us was at the breakdowns,” Ordway confessed. “Sometimes they had more people in the rucks before we did, allowing them to win the ball back. Also, they were superb at getting very low in their rucks.”

The Panthers begin their Great Lakes league schedule next weekend, opening up against Saginaw Valley on Saturday. In recent times, Grand Valley State has provided the best in-season competition; the Lakers lost 78-17 to Indiana two weekends ago.