NIU awaits Minneosta test this weekend
The following is a run-down of the DI women’s college games that occurred last weekend and also serves as a status check on competitions building toward the USA Rugby fall championship. Independent teams are included but league Italicized notes indicate subjects of forthcoming articles.
RELATED: DI Fall College Explained • Resource: College Conferences & Contacts • Women’s Rugby Scores: Sept. 29-Oct. 1
BIG 10
Notre Dame is 3-0 in the West pool after a 110-5 win over Indiana (0-2). Freshman flanker Tori Jones led all scorers with four tries and a conversion, while Emma Shimek followed with 17 points on a try and six conversions. Grace McGurn (3), Scout Muzikowski (3), Sophie Asah (2), Wenyi Tan (2), Shayleigh O’Donnell (2) and Fernanda Arjona also scored tries, while Jones and Asah (3) added conversions.
Michigan State is now 2-1 in the West, having defeated Purdue 30-5 last weekend. The Spartans will face Notre Dame this weekend in the second half of league play.
In the East, Penn State played a non-conference game against NIRA’s Notre Dame College and won 15-5 (read more). The Nittany Lions are 2-0 in league and will replay Rutgers Oct. 14 and Michigan Oct. 21. Rutgers and Michigan will play their two games against each other on back-to-back weekends, Oct. 28 and Nov. 5. Conference championship is Nov. 11 at Notre Dame.
IVY
The two Tier 1 games are covered in the NIRA round-up (read more), but Harvard and Dartmouth won their openers convincingly. Tier 1 teams play each other once and then the Ivy League championship will be held Oct. 28 in Princeton, N.J.
The Tier 2, or “club division,” teams play each other twice and a champion will be named on final standings. Yale improved to 3-0 after a 38-27 over No. 2 Penn (2-1). Genevieve Simmons scored three tries and added a conversion to lead Yale, while Elisia Cabello-Countryman, who also kicked two conversions, and Ronnie Rodriguez contributed a try apiece. The sixth score was a penalty try. Penn got its points from Claire Van Duyne (3T) and Jessie Burke (2T, C).
(More to come from Yale coach Craig Wilson)
Cornell defeated Columbia 38-24 in a 10s match and saw Meagan Davis, Jasmin Strong and Kayla deLeuze score two tries apiece.
MIDWEST
There were two forfeits last weekend, and so the only league game was Iowa State’s 62-36 win over UW Milwaukee. Milwaukee held a one-point lead at approximately the 55-minute mark, but then Iowa State rallied well with three tries for the win.
Undefeated Minnesota and Northern Illinois lead the conference and will face each other this Saturday, Oct. 7 for the championship and automatic berth to the DI fall quarterfinals. Depending on the result, the runner-up might have the opportunity for an at-large berth.
(more to come from NIU coach Tom Petit)
LONE STAR
Tier 1 involves both DI and DII teams. Texas A&M defeated Texas State 108-0 to remain undefeated and the likely rep for the DI fall post-season. UT San Antonio bettered Sam Houston State 52-31. Still searching for the Texas vs. Texas Tech result.
NORTHEAST
UCONN improved to 2-0 with a 22-5 win over Rhode Island (1-1). The reigning conference champ and 2016 DI fall runner-up spread its tries across Kasey Mahan, Shayna Kennedy, Jennie Wingard and Brandice Neal, and Allison Gorman tacked on a conversion. URI’s Kellie Larsen accounted for her team’s try.
(more to come from UCONN head coach Mark Jordan)
Northeastern’s Sarah Levy led the league in scoring last weekend, dotting down six tries in her side’s 63-5 win over UMASS (0-2). Hannah Bogich (2), Olivia Giorlandino, Meaghan Gorman and Madelaine Baco also scored tries, while Giorlandino (2) and Caroline Angele added the extras. Katarina Fetros scored UMASS’s try.
Boston University (1-1) played a friendly against DII Bryant of Rugby Northeast (read more) and pulled off a 40-36 victory. Tricia Post (3), Samantha Perez Menendez and Regine Jacques scored tries in addition to a penalty try. Jacques kicked four conversions.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN
Between Hallie and Jaynee, “Taufoou” featured heavily on Utah State’s scoring sheet. The duo accounted for Utah State’s 20 points to Montana State’s 17 in the league win. The Bobcats sent wing Ashton Daniels, fullback Alecia Panagakis and lock Briana Boland into the try zone, while Maria Michelotti kicked the game’s lone conversion. Montana State also sent a side to Couer d’Alene, Idaho, for friendlies against Gonzaga, Betterside and Spokane.
Utah State at 2017 LVI 7s / Photo: Paul Rudman
Colorado scored five tries in the opening 15 minutes against Colorado State before running away with a 56-15 win. Jasmyn Olivas and Madison Hammer scored two tries apiece, while Natalia Aramovich, Libby Hasse, Alexandra Jaros, Belinda Polynice, Allison Casey and Samantha Fernandez also scored. Nikita Wollerman and Jaros (2) added conversions. Colorado State got its tries from Ruby Charney (2) and Mikaela Stager.
(More to come from league-leader Air Force and coach Amy Rusert)
INDEPENDENT
Kent State isn’t independent, but it’s the lone DI team in the hybrid Allegheny. The Golden Flashes played Slippery Rock last weekend and won 71-0. The Ohio team will play independent Davenport University, which was promoted to Division I after two-straight DII national championships, this weekend. Stay tuned.
Navy was idle this weekend, but we wrote an update on the independent squad last week: read more. The Midshipmen unfortunately will not play the U.S. Air Force Academy as travel orders were canceled for the Colorado program. If Navy doesn’t get a replacement game, then it will be idle for a month before playing Army Oct. 22.