Army try-scorer Gio Ferguson-Lewis / Photo courtesy Army West Point Athletics
The top game in the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) last weekend was the three-point decision between Army and Norwich, and two non-conference games involving varsity teams also drew a lot of attention with their dramatic endings. Athletic department write-ups are linked in the box scores.
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ARMY 32-29 NORWICH
This all-cadet match saw the host, Norwich (2-2), lead for the majority of the match, but a 20-point run in the final 30 minutes – including a game-winning penalty kick from freshman Eleanor Burnett – saw Army (2-2-1) win its second league game of the season.
Tries: Sullivan, Ferguson-Lewis, Morton, Varner, Williams
Cons: Gable 2
Pens: Burnett
Tries: Kelly 2, Heale, Tavake
Cons: Decker 3
Pens: Decker
QUINNIPIAC 60-24 AIC
AIC (1-2) only trailed Quinnipiac (3-1) 20-10 after the first half, but then the Bobcats went on a 40-point blitz in the second 40. Tayler Schussler and Flora Poole scored three tries apiece, and the Yellow Jackets spread their four tries across four players.
“The first half we had QU on the rocks and had dictated the game well, but in the second half they adjusted, which we expected, and had a plan in place to stop the adjustment, but we just did not execute it and they tore us up on the inside ball,” AIC coach Peter Lang added. “They are a great team and well drilled and deserved to win, but AIC is getting very close to being the team I need them to be. I am hoping to peak just around playoffs.”
Tries: Maricich, Haight 2, Maher, Poole 3, Schussler 3, Cowan, Maples
Tries: Clark, Harvey, Kahele, Lymas
Cons: Harvey 2
NEW ENGLAND 48-17 SACRED HEART
Kassidy Towne led New England (1-1) with four tries in the win over the visiting Sacred Heart (2-2). The Pioneers, which were coming off a thrilling game against Bowdoin, got its three tries from Tessa Buckey.
Tries: Towne 4, Murnik 2, Paredes, Drumheller
Cons: Adams 4
Tries: Buckey 3
Cons: Hale
HARVARD 84-8 BROWN
Tier 1 of the Ivy League opened up its season last weekend, and the Harvard (3-0-1) vs. Brown (0-2) match doubled as a NIRA-eligible game. The Crimson scored 14 tries through nine players, with Brooklynn Davis leading all point-scorers with 15 on three tries. Jenny Kronish followed with 14 points on seven conversions. Pleasanton Cavaliers alumni Marion Sellier and Olivia Duba accounted for Brown’s points.
Tries: Davis 3, Quirion 2, Hellander 2, Roberts 2, Weigel, Okine, Learned, Lipson, Cantave
Cons: Kronish 7
Tries: Sellier
Pens: Duba
Due to numbers, this match was a 7s match. Molloy (2-1-1) took a 12-point first-half lead on tries from Niz Deljanin and Caroline Nickels, and conversion from Siobhan Coady. LIU Post (1-1-1) then responded in kind with 12 points: tries from Frankie Ferrara and Kelsey Silver, and a conversion from Kari Kyrkjeboe Fredheim. During the final two minutes of play, the teams traded tries. Molloy got its score from Nickels, LIU Post from Silver, 17-all.
Molloy 17
Tries: Deljanin, Nickels 2
Cons: Coady
LIU Post 17
Tries: Ferrara, Silver 2
Cons: Kyrkjeboe Fredheim
NON-CONFERENCE
LIFE 22-15 CENTRAL WASHINGTON
DI Elite Life University traveled to Ellensburg, Wash., to supply the Wildcats their first stateside game of the season. The home side took the initial lead thanks to the first of two Sui A’au tries, before Life rallied with three-straight scores from Alex Sedrick, Lekia Haynes and Darian Lovelace. Madison Ohmann kicked a conversion for the 17-5 lead. But then on either side of the half, Emma Leonard and A’au scored tries, and the majority of the second half saw defense take over, as Life held a 17-15 lead. In the dying minutes, Life’s Taylor Makowski added cushion with a final try.
Tries: Sedrick, Haynes, Lovelace, Makowski
Cons: Ohmann
Tries: S. A’au 2, Leonard
In terms of NIRA, this match is a non-conference game, but it counted toward the Ivy League. Tier 1 and Tier 2 include four teams apiece, and Princeton is the only non-varsity team in Tier 1. The Tigers traveled to New Hampshire for what should have been a league match, but was actually a 45-minute scrimmage and forfeit win for Dartmouth. Ashley DuPuis and Eva Klein led all scorers with two tries apiece. Princeton currently has 22 players registered with USA Rugby.
PENN STATE 15-5 NOTRE DAME COLLEGE
Penn State has been a favorite opponent for NIRA teams, and Friday’s match against Notre Dame College produced another gripping game. Penn State went up 10-0 on tries from World Cup Eagles Kayla Canett and Tess Feury before Danielle Walko-Siua put the Falcons on the board. Mindy McKeehan’s try put the game away for the Nittany Lions, but it was still a very good showing for Notre Dame College (stay tuned for more from Falcons coach Luke Markovich).
Penn State 15
Tries: Canett, Feury, McKeehan
Notre Dame College 5
Tries: Walko-Siua
DI Mason Dixon Pittsburgh and West Chester were tied 12-all at the half, and then Pittsburgh dotted down four unanswered tries in the second half for the 22-point win. Lili Riley once again accounted for the Golden Rams’ points.
Pittsburgh 34
Tries: Franzak, Sedlak 2, Stephens, Royce, Deza
Cons: Sedlak 2
West Chester 12
Tries: Riley 2
Cons: Riley