With the pressure of national tournaments weighing on its shoulders the past several years, these core values had been lost on occasion.
"This spring we came together as a team," Steele said. "We enjoyed it without the stress of Nationals."
Despite the disappointment, the team was able to see the positive side of the fall's struggles.
"In some ways the fall was a blessing in disguise," Connors said. "It opened us up to recruit more, enjoy each other and get back to the basics."
In rugby there are no star players, and team chemistry can make or break a team. For Radcliffe, recapturing the essence of team play allowed the defending national champs to redeem a season and win the first-ever Ivy League championship.
The End of an Era
Gartner, who deserves much of the credit for inculcating the sense of community that has made "Rad-Rugby" so special over the years, recently announced her resignation. Gartner has guided Radcliffe teams for 11 years.
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