As this photo suggests, Coast Guard’s win over St. Michael’s was a battle. /// Photo courtesy USCG Academy Women’s Rugby Club •
Three of the four 2015 semifinalists are returning to this year’s DII College Fall Championship weekend on Dec. 3-4. Davenport, Winona and Vassar won their respective Round of 16 and quarterfinals this weekend to secure their return visits to Furman University, the repeat host of the seasonal championship. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy meanwhile eliminated 2015 semifinalist Bloomsburg in the Round of 16, and then bettered Rugby Northeast champion St. Michael’s College for its first-ever berth to the fall championship.
The following stats are pulled from USA Rugby’s CMS.
While Coast Guard defeated Bloomsburg on Saturday, St. Michael’s was busy subduing Eastern Kentucky 71-14 in the Round of 16. The two victors then convened for the game of the weekend Sunday – stay tuned for a feature piece on the Bears, their weekend and a Player of the Week. Coast Guard scored four tries to St. Michael’s three and held onto a 22-17 win for the semifinal berth. Coast Guard counted Linda Drake and Emma Hvozdovich among its try-scorers, while St. Michael’s put scrumhalf Caroline Smith (twice) and flanker Enny Mustapha in for tries.
There was less drama around the rest of the field. Reigning DII national champion Davenport followed its 57-7 Round of 16 win over Cincinnati with an 88-0 quarterfinal win over Illinois State Sunday. Several players had multi-try performances Sunday, including Women’s Junior All-American Danielle Ordway (who had five tries Saturday), wing Madison Sparks (3), flanker Hannah Garcia (2), scrumhalf Olivia Ortiz (2) and lock Amy Plambeck (2). Prop Veronica Overbeek, inside center Tressa Keim and prop Elizabeth Hoeksema added a try apiece, while flyhalf Hannah Tennant, Ordway and Ortiz slotted the extras.
2015 fall runner-up Winona received a bye through the Round of 16 due to Marquette’s forfeit, and then beat Montana State 42-5 in Sunday’s quarterfinal. Vassar saw Albany for the third time this season, and remained undefeated in its 34-5 quarterfinal win today. The Brewers took a 22-0 lead on tries from prop and co-captain Mariah Ghant, prop Katharine Sworden, fullback Rachel Elson and flanker Nathalie Freeman. Flyhalf Mary Margaret McElduff added the conversion.
“At the half all the talk was about how Albany are a good second half team no matter what the score,” Vassar coach Tony Brown reported for Vassar Athletics. “Vassar needed to continue to boss the set piece and keep mistakes to a minimum.”
Two tries from Vassar outside center Laila Blumenthal-Rothchild sealed the victory, and McElduff added a two-pointer for the 34 points. Albany prevented the shutout with a try from prop Samara Bierria-Anderson.
Stay tuned for in-depth interviews with the fall semifinalists, who will convene in two weeks to determine the seasonal champion.