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Penn State & Lindenwood, DI Elite Finalists

  • 05 May 2017
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Lindenwood will attempt to dethrone Penn State in the DI Elite National Championship, to be contested at 5:30 p.m. Eastern at Life University on Saturday, May 6. The finalists won their respective semifinals today in slippery conditions against worthy opponents, and are now working the recovery game in anticipation of each other.

Penn State and BYU took to the Lupo Family Field first in a rematch of the 2016 final. The Cougars graced the scoreboard two minutes into the match, as BYU No. 8 Grace Taito peeled off the back of an attacking five-meter scrum and connected with scrumhalf Mackenzie Olsen out of contact for the try. Jessica Peterson slotted the most difficult conversion of the day for the 7-0 lead.

Penn State played the majority of the next 10 minutes in BYU’s end, but little errors coupled with a frenetic pace did not yield any points – until the 15-minute mark. Fullback Tess Feury hit the first of the three penalties to get on the board, 7-3.

The game remained choppy, and while the BYU defense scrambled diligently, the team gifted possession that was destined to turn into points eventually. Feury nearly touched down her kick ahead while three BYU defenders waited for the ball to cross into the try zone, and shortly afterward, Penn State got its first of five tries on the day. After the forwards battered the line, scrumhalf Carly Waters moved the ball away from contact to wing Sophie Pyrz for the try, 8-7.

Penn State did not relinquish the lead from that point out, and didn’t lessen in its waterfall of pressure off the line and in the breakdown. Centers Rachel Ehrecke and Gabby Cantorna nearly scored, and then Waters capitalized on the territory with a quick-tap try past a slowly resetting defense. Feury’s conversion was good and Penn State led 15-7 at the half.

After another Feury penalty, prop Kira Garnett took a flat pass in open play for a line-break and try, which Feury converted, 25-7. Flyhalf Kayla Canett then ran in back-to-back tries – the first after stripping the ball out of contact, and the second from a kick-and-chase, which BYU let hit the ground and bounce perfectly into the on-running 10’s arms. Feury tacked on a penalty that ended the game 40-7 to Penn State. 

With the exception of its scrum, Penn State won those important categories like possession and territory, and although it took some time for those advantages to be reflected on the scoreboard, the Nittany Lions were relentless throughout.

So was Lindenwood in its semifinal win against Life, but the Lions from St. Charles, Mo., got on the board quickly. Lindenwood sent a deep kickoff, and from the subsequent ruck, the outlet pass was knocked-on on the Life try line. The Running Eagles were fortunate to have inside center Kaitlyn Broughton – who was the highlight on offense – rip possession from a Penn State player bound for the try line, and flyhallf Whitney Wilson cleared for some momentary relief.

Life committed the first of many offsides penalties, and Lindenwood forewent what would have been an easy three points for inside center McKenzie Hawkins. Instead, the Lions worked the pick-and-go and then hit No. 8 Dineken Paogofie-Buyten for the corner try, 5-0.

Lindenwood exerted a lot of pressure in the set pieces, stealing a scrum and lineout while Life attempted to build some momentum. Hawkins eventually fended through the line and fullback Hannah Gauthreax in support drew a high tackle penalty. Flanker Natalie Kosko got close to the line, forward punches followed, and then Hawkins sent a skip pass to replacement wing Dana Olsen for the try, 10-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Wilson and Hawkins traded penalties, and Lindenwood went into the break up 13-3. Neither team really got into an offensive rhythm, as every possession and put-in was staunchly contested. One too many forward punches, and the other team would poach the ball. A ballcarrier too high into a double tackle, and the defense could strip the ball. The game was exhausting in the best way.

But Lindenwood played it better. The Lions worked its bench and fresh legs like freshman Isabel Manu – who was also a superstar out at Stanford – went on the best rumbling runs to keep the defense swarming. Hawkins added two more penalties, and those six points were they only ones of the half. Lindnewood prevailed 19-3 and advances to the final show.

Lindenwood and Penn State played a friendly in the fall and so there’s some familiarity in the ranks. We’re looking forward to some fantastic positional match-ups as former teammates like Canett and Richelle Stephens, both #10s for their alma mater Fallbrook High School and their colleges, as well as Collegiate All-Americans Cantorna and Hawkins at #12 are sure to entertain. The game will be live-streamed tomorrow on The Rugby Channel at 5:30 p.m. Eastern.

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