Davenport University defeated Vassar College 47-32 in today’s DII college fall semifinals and will face Winona in Sunday’s fall title match.
The teams employed completely different game strategies. Vassar empowered its forwards, launching relentless pick-and-go drives that were sustained by disciplined support and patience. Not only did that allow methodic marches downfield but it also tested Davenport’s patience, and penalties at the breakdown resulted. A couple of offsides penalties saw Davenport adjust its launch on the fringe, and that played into Vassar’s hands.
That said, the ball moved beyond Vassar inside center Alicia Menard-Livingston only once in the first half, and it wasn’t a function of little possession. In the second half, the Brewers got influential ballcarriers Laila Blumenthal-Rothchild and Rachel Elson more involved and challenged the defense in space.
Davenport played a more balanced game and had the ability to score quickly, and that’s what happened during the first 10 minutes of the match. Scrumhalf Olivia Ortiz – arguably the best tackler on the team – managed power runners like prop Allison Miedzielec, No. 8 Hunter Moreland, flanker Brenna Donahue and prop Veronica Overbeek to gain ground around the breakdowns. She then connected with flyhalf Hannah Tennant, who did well to put well to put her fast back line into space. Outside center Danielle Ordway was linchpin and she was just too fast and shifty for the Vassar defense. If she wasn’t scoring herself, then she was committing extra defenders and timing her pass to wings Madison Sparks or Kaitlin Throgmorton for the finish. All three scored tries in the first 10 minutes. Tennant added the two conversions, 19-0.
Vassar started to get more possession near the 15-minute mark, and that’s when the team’s pick-and-drive game became clear. Two early-drive penalties from Davenport allowed Vassar to extend its attack, and the second infraction occurred five meters from the try line. After the quick tap, co-captain Mariah Ghant found a seam to dive through for the try, 19-7 with Mary Margaret McElduff’s conversion.
Tennant added the first of her three penalties, and Ordway dotted down her second try for a 29-7 lead after 22 minutes. Vassar got its second try in the same fashion of its first, as No. 8 Amanda Saich picked from the scrum and flanker Nathalie Freeman dove across on the second attempt, 29-12.
Davenport was then yellow-carded (both teams incurred two sin bins apiece) for repeat infractions and hooker Elizabeth Hoeksema took a seat for 10 minutes. Vassar scored two tries during its player advantage. The first occurred just before the half after a Davenport lineout hit the ground and the Brewers immediately moved the ball away. Elson inserted into the line and took a good angle into the try zone. On the other side of the half, a still-weakened Davenport scrum gifted the ball to Vassar, and from a subsequent quick-tap penalty, scrumhalf Jennie To took advantage of a slowly retreating defense for the try, 29-22.
Vassar went on to score two more tries, and the outcome wasn’t heavily weighted in Davenport’s favor until the final 10 minutes. As mentioned, the Brewers involved their backs more, and when Blumenthal-Rothchild took a flat pass and then side-stepped the on-rushing defense for the try, one wished she had had more opportunity with ball in hand.
Sparks and Ordway scored again, and Tennant added two more penalties. Vassar had the final say as Ortiz was yellow-carded and lock Lauren Workman dove over from the quick tap, 47-32.
Vassar gave Davenport everything it could handle, and the Panthers put in a lot of defensive work and saw a couple of players leave the field with injuries. Its final’s opponent, Winona, is short on numbers but won its semifinal in convincing fashion. Sunday’s title match kicks off at 3 p.m. Eastern.
Davenport 47
Tries: Ordway 3, Sparks 2, Throgmorton
Cons: Tennant 4
Pens: Tennant 3
Vassar 32
Tries: Ghant, Freeman, Elson, To, Blumenthal-Rothchild, Workman
Cons: McElduff