Soccer meets football with a touch of cheerleading.

That is how players from the Women's Rugby Club, a Registered Student Organization, describe the game. The group staged the seventh annual Ruggapalooza tournament Saturday at the fields near Evergreen Terrace Road. Fifteen teams from various schools, including Illinois State and Indiana University, came together for a 10-hour day of rugby.

Aleisia Arbogast, president of the team and a senior from Okawville studying communication disorders and science, said this is her third year playing in the event.

"It's fun, it's like an adrenaline rush," she said.

Arbogast said the Women's Rugby Club has been on campus since 1984, and it hosts this tournament the second week of September every year. Rugby is a fast-paced game played with no time outs. Each player on the field can run, pass, kick and defend regardless of her position. Unlike football, there is no blocking, and there is a maximum of seven substitutions allowed. The goal of the game is to touch the ball down in the opposing team's in-goal area.

Team members Jenni Sledge, a sophomore from Mt. Vernon studying special education, and Megan Behles, a junior from Des Plaines studying zoology, said out of all the sports they've played, rugby will always be on the top of their list.

"I would choose it over anything," Sledge said.

The tournament consisted of three brackets ˜ the women's club, which included older women; college men, which included the older men's club; and students.

Arbogast said the team sometimes has trouble getting money for the tournament, but that was not the case this year. The Undergraduate Student Government allocated $1,300, and the Graduate and Professional Student Government contributed $1,500 to the event.

"They were a big help to us this year, and we were very thankful," she said.

Alumni, she said, also contribute money and play in the games.

Erin Sweeney, an alumna and captain of the SIUC team, said out of 15 rookies 14 of them are not experienced. This is Sweeney's third year playing in the tournament as well.

"Our rookies that played today have never even seen rugby a day in their life," she said.

Arbogast said a person can learn everything he or she needs to know just by coming and watching the games. Winning its first two games against Western Illinois and Illinois State University, the team lost its last game to Indiana University.

Jamie Barnhill, the social chair and a junior from Gurnee studying elementary education, said playing the game provides a great way to make friends, as well as learning your strengths and weaknesses.

"You have a lot of interesting unique people that all come together, and they're very different, but at the same time very alike," she said.

Arbogast said the Women's Rugby Club practices from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and despite the amount of work it took to make the tournament a success, it was worth it. Sweeney said the camaraderie amongst the teams is also what makes the event an achievement.

"You work hard, you work together," she said. "The team that plays together, stays together."