Y earns a 'win' for forfeit on Sunday

PROVO — They would have done it anyway. But it was easier for the BYU women's rugby team to walk away from a shot at a national championship knowing so many people were on their side.

In Sanford, Fla., this past weekend, the club team forfeited its second-round game against Penn State in the USA Rugby collegiate tournament because the organization mistakenly scheduled it to play on Sunday if it won Saturday. The 35 women — all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and BYU students — were crushed when they found out about the scheduling mishap the Monday before the competition. To play would mean breaking their Sabbath, though, and that simply wasn't an option.

Within days, they were contacted by the New York Times to discuss their decision. Many of the women were focused on their dashed personal dreams. The New York Times' interest caused them to realize that perhaps their sacrifice mattered to more people than just them.

Then the e-mails started coming in, some from fellow Mormons, some from Baptist ministers, and one particularly poignant message from senior Jewish tennis player Bob Litwin, who in 2004 refused to play in his world championship finals match for athletes 55 and older because it took place on Yom Kippur. The following year, he won the world championship.

"I read those e-mails and I could see the change in perspective," the team's coach, Tom Waqa said. "They just lit up from there."

No. 8 seed BYU handily defeated No. 9 seed Wisconsin-Milwaukee 46-7. That earned the team a spot in the quarterfinals against No. 1 seed Penn State — the team that bumped BYU out of the tournament last year.

The players chose not to play and they take consolation in Litwin's success as they look to the future, hopeful that in years to come, they won't have to choose between their faith and their sport. What's more, the close-knit teammates feel that a win in any season is a win for all.

"If this team wins, anyone who has played for this team wins," said Samantha Wright, club president.

"This year, we'll stand up for this," junior Kara Longhurst Remington said. "Next year, we'll win a national championship."

On Sunday, they attended church, where a few of them were asked to share their testimonies during sacrament meeting. They met with LDS teens during the third hour and had a panel discussion. As the clock ticked closer to 2 p.m., team captain Kirsten Siebach realized that had they opted to play Penn State, they would be warming up for the game at that very moment.