Kenzie Rogers
Contributing Writer
The College of Wooster’s quidditch team participated in a regional tournament this past weekend in Kalamazoo, Mich. Although Wooster’s quidditch team did not win, the team’s performance highlights how far they have come since the start of the season.
Practice leader Ian Ricoy ’20 provided insights regarding the overall season.
“This season has been a rough one,” Ricoy said, going on to comment on the problematic number of injuries the team sustained this year. One concussion, two sprained ankles and other recurring injuries resulted in three players unable to play in regionals.
Over the course of two days, Wooster competed against nine schools: Central Michigan University, Ball State University,, Bowling Green State University,, Grand Valley State University, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, the Univeristy of Indiana, Miami University of Ohio and The Ohio State University.
Competing against large universities can be especially challenging but is still a great experience, Ricoy stated.
Many senior members have said that this year’s regionals were the hardest they have ever played. A lack of six players was a blow to the team’s dynamic.
Ricoy said the opponents had “a more aggressive offensive beating style that was hard for us to counter” and Wooster’s usual strategy to score by dunking was foiled by “the chaser defenses which were better prepared to block dunks.”
The first half against Michigan State held many highlights, resulting in “only a one point differential” and “intercept[ion of the] quaffle on their first drive to score an easy point,” Ricoy added.
“We made a lot of tackles…” Ricoy said before discussing the highlights of regionals, noting player Xander Nicholson ’18, whose defensive maneuvers aided the team in some “tricky situations.”
Emily Ribaudo ’18 noted that the team had several successes.
“Our most satisfying plays of the tournament included scoring 10 goals against Michigan [State] and having the lead for the first few minutes of that game, as well as Toli Gunning [’19]’s three snitch catches during the tournament,” said Ribaudo.
Even with six players unable to attend the tournament, the team had “the best score differentials Wooster has ever had against all of the teams played [against],” according to Ricoy.
The team demonstrated tremendous fighting spirit, seen in their last game, about which Ricoy said, “Even when we had three injuries on our last game, we were fighting tooth and nail to put up points.”
Even if victory was just out of reach, the team has made tremendous improvement, both as individuals and as a whole. Ricoy proudly stated how much progress the players have made since August, and the team continues to demonstrate this improvement even now.
“We had played against all of these teams either this year or in the past couple of years. We felt that a widespread perception of us was as an easy team to beat or as a team to not be taken seriously,” said Ribaudo. “Although we lost all of the games, the scores did not reflect that we played our hearts out and played our best games of the whole season.”
Ricoy views this season as a transitional one, with new leadership in place. “We are headed in the right direction,” Ricoy said. “We have made leaps and bounds since the beginning of the season and are continuing to make strides.”