Bobcats Bring Home NIRA Trophy

Quinnipiac University won its third-straight National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) title, defeating Dartmouth College 29-20 in Hamden, Conn., in today’s national championship. Quinnipiac is the only team with a name plate on the 15s trophy.

Quinnipiac and Dartmouth met each other in the teams’ season-opener and played to a five-point decision in the Big Green’s favor. That early-September match piqued attention, and over the subsequent 10 weeks, the rugby community longed for the rematch.

But they weren’t the only ones with a veritable shot at the title. Central Washington and Quinnipiac split regular-season games, and the Wildcats led the Bobcats by 12 points during Friday’s semifinal. Quinnipiac had the legs to rally and finish, however, and won 41-26 (read more). That ability to seize momentum and turn it into points would show itself again. Dartmouth and Harvard had met twice before as well, with the New Hampshire squad winning both occasions. Harvard came close to overturning the scoreline late in Friday’s semifinal, but Dartmouth held on for the 17-12 win (read more).

Heading into Sunday’s final, Quinnipiac brought with it 10 players who had aided the previous two title runs. But it was Dartmouth, which hadn’t advanced beyond the quarterfinals the previous two years, that wrestled controlled early on. Sophomores Eva Klein and Becca Jane Rosko scored before championship MVP Ilona Maher put Quinnipiac on the board, 10-5 to Dartmouth. The New Hampshire side then sent freshman Lilly Durbin away for the first of her two tries, 15-5.

For the second time in two days, the Bobcats mounted a massive surge to overtake the lead and essentially the game. Center Mikah Maples scored twice, Maher again, and graduate student Tayler Schussler dotted down. Senior Maggie Wesolowski kicked the extras for a 29-15 lead. Durbin got her second try to end the scoring, 29-20 the final.

When seasons come to an end and culminate in a single game, one hopes for a competitive, skillful, respectful match that highlights the best of the sport. Quinnipiac and Dartmouth more than fulfilled that want.

To learn more about the NCAA women’s rugby movement, visit www.ncaacollegerugby.org.

Quinnipiac NIRA Fall2017Champion