Photo: Skip Shackelford •
The U.S. Air Force Academy dethroned reigning DI fall champion University of Connecticut with a 19-8 victory in today’s college final. It was a redemptive win for the officers-in-training, who fell a converted try short of UCONN in the 2015 title match.
Rainy weather marked the day. There were many stoppages and set pieces, and play became tighter – as one would expect with a slippery ball and turf. It was difficult to sustain long series of phases, especially since both sides were able to turn over each other’s rucks. Air Force was also very good at halting UCONN’s upright ballcarriers, and that tactic became effective in the middle of the match.
It was clear early on that the teams’ kick-and-chase games would be influential in the outcome. UCONN fullback Sara Rothery is a natural and relieved pressure with booming kicks to touch. The majority of lineouts were not clean – if they were reeled in, they were hitting the ground and allowing the defense to swarm. Air Force flyhalf Noelle Heiser liked to send cross-field kicks to wing Sarah Stinson, and it was only a matter of time before they started connecting.
The scoreboard lit up in minute eight, as UCONN sent hard-charging forwards like No. 8 Marieke Page and prop Shayna Kennedy into the defense for consistent meters. Once in the green zone, the ball moved to the backs, where Rothery inserted, shook off tacklers, and then offloaded out of Kelsey O’Brien’s cover tackle to wing Alecia Alleyne in support.
UCONN pushed its lead to 8-0, as Rothery lined up and slotted a penalty. As it turned out, the Huskies scored the last of their points in minute 16.
A few minutes later, Air Force started its attack in UCONN’s end. Just as the ball started to get a little sloppy, Heiser sent her third kick to Stinson and the UCONN try line. Although Air Force didn’t end up with the ball, the team was in good territory and eventually made it pay off. Set up in the try zone, Rothery knocked-on the outlet pass from the five-meter scrum, handing over possession. A few attempts at the line eventually saw Air Force flanker Ashlee Salato dive over for the try, which fullback Jacqueline Hamby converted, 8-7.
All three of Air Force’s tries began with excellent kicks to within UCONN’s 10 meter. It was the right strategy, since phase-building was difficult. Right after the half, Stinson chased down a fabulous kick to UCONN’s five meter and pushed the receiver into touch. The lineout was bobbled but ended up in the attackers’ hands. A few phases later, prop Maria Carter dove over for the go-ahead score, 12-8.
Thirty-five minutes remained. Air Force continued to go after the ball in contact and force mauls on defense, and that frustrated UCONN’s attack. MVP Rhea McFarland led on defense with a high tackle rate, and she was also a good example of go-forward with ball in hand. In these slippery conditions, sideways running is dangerous and many attempted passes ended in knock-ons.
As the fourth quarter approached, UCONN was penalized for not rolling away in the tackle, and Air Force’s O’Brien sent a perfectly placed kick to the Huskies’ five meter. The lineout hit the deck but ended up in Air Force’s hands, and after a few attempts at the line, lock Simone Duryea (another very good north-south runner) scored the try. Hamby’s conversion gave the Colorado Springs team a 19-8 lead.
UCONN needed two scores and had 20 minutes to do it. The team’s best surge came in injury time, when the game was already decided, but it was the continuity the Huskies were looking for all game. The Air Force defense was solid, and the game ended with a knock-on.
The title marks Air Force’s first DI fall title, but the Academy has four DI national championships (back when national championships were contested) in its history. In fact, Air Force and UCONN contested the 1993 national title match before seeing each other again in 2015. The season is now over for fall 15s teams, and their counterparts – the spring 15s teams – will resume in the New Year.
Air Force 19
Tries: Salato, Carter, Duryea
Cons: Hamby 2
UCONN 8
Tries: Alleyne
Pens: Rothery