Photos: Bobby Gable (from previous matches)
Davenport University is the USA Rugby Division I College Fall Champion, defeating Notre Dame 89-24 for the trophy. It was the Panthers’ second-straight trip to Greenville, S.C., which also served as host site to the 2016 fall championships. Last year, Davenport won the DII fall (and later national) trophy.
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While Notre Dame certainly had weapons to deploy, they worked in pockets, while Davenport dominated the majority of the game. Davenport head coach Greg Teliczan has credited his pack with setting the terms of every match, securing and stealing possession the team needed for a varied attack. Veterans like Allison Miedzielec, Veronica Overbeek, Amy Plambeck and Hunter Moreland propelled a standard with which spectators are familiar, and the freshmen talent of Mariah Pruitt, Hannah Baker and Bethany Gable played with composure.
Davenport’s most potent individual, championship MVP Danielle Ordway, revealed her influence approximately three minutes into the match, breaking away for a 40-meter try. A couple of minutes later, the outside center tore away again and hit fullback Alanna Girardin in close support for the try. Ordway scored six times on the day, but the fifth-year is really visible around the park, turning over ball and attacking quickly to the benefit of the whole team.
The Panthers led Notre Dame by 34 points in the first half, as Ordway, scrumhalf Olivia Ortiz, No. 8 Moreland and wing Megan Bird scored tries, and flyhalf Hannah Tennant kicked two penalties and the conversions. Notre Dame got on the board after Davenport put up 32 points, as Emma Shimek kicked a penalty. The inside center, along with fullback Sophia Asah and No. 8 Grace McGurn, were particularly effective with ball in hand, and their push to the try line stressed the Davenport defense in coughing up a penalty try, 44-10 into the break.
Notre Dame had a sin bin advantage to open the second half and made good use of the extra space. Shimek broke through the back line and then multiple would-be tacklers for a try she converted, 44-17.
The next six tries came from Davenport, and showcased both individual brilliance and disciplined phase play. Moreland returned a restart for a long-range try, and also peeled off a scrum to hit Ortiz, who froze her defender and fended another for five points. Ordway tackled and poached a Notre Dame ballcarrier and got to speed so quickly to score. Freshman Bird also scored again on the wing, finishing off the hard work of the forwards inside her and remaining composed for the final pass into the try zone. Tennant ended the day with 24 points on nine conversions and two penalties.
Prior to Ordway’s sixth try to end the game, Notre Dame flanker Tori Jones powered through three defenders to record her side’s fourth try, and Shimek added the extras, 89-24. The Fighting Irish was the only team to score more than 20 points against Davenport this fall.
This fall season marks Davenport’s first in Division I, and so the fall title is a special accomplishment. The trophy is especially noteworthy for captain Tennant, Ordway and Moreland – the final founding members who are still active – as a farewell performance (there is no DI national championship). While their presence is irreplaceable, this weekend showed great talent in the rising classes, ensuring more winning seasons to come.
Read coach Teliczan’s comments on the fall final and season as a whole.