By Tony Brown
Head Coach

PROVIDENCE, RI (September 30, 2007) -- Brown was up for this game with Vassar having been beaten last spring by the Brewers and they had a real sense of purpose and urgency to their play. The Brewers struggled at times in all areas but did make a strong showing in the second half and displayed real character to make it a 10-point game at 31-21. But a 31-point deficit was a big hole to climb out of and always likely to be a bridge too far.

Vassar College Women 21 v Brown University Women 36
Tries: Elise Okusami (1), Alex Milne (1). Keri Peacock (1).
Cons: Alex Milne (3).

Brown jumped ahead in the first 10 minutes when some poor tackling allowed them to breach the Vassar defense in broken play. It remained 7-0 for most of the first half as the teams both tried to establish their patterns. Brown, always looking to offload in the tackle, made a few line breaks with the strong running center Emilie Bydwell showing well. Vassar managed to get deep in to Brown territory and perhaps should have kicked a penalty right In front of the posts to close the gap to 7-3 but they decided to run it. Moments later the ball was turned over and a big clearance kick had Vassar scrambling back to prevent a score. But the chance for points had gone and with it any momentum.

Around the half hour mark from a scrum on the left just outside the Vassar 22 Brown ran a simple dummy switch and crash that put Bydwell through and she passed to a supporting player and it was 14-0 to the home team. Stung by this Vassar swiftly made a series of line breaks with Okusami and Milne prominent and they were right under the Brown posts. It looked like they would score but despite several rucks the Brewers were not able to get the vital try that would have put them back in the hunt. The referee blew for halftime and it remained 14-0.

Vassar had the worst of starts to the second half. A wheeled scrum seemed to have Brown in trouble but the ball flew back and Brown kicked ahead with a ruck forming on the Vassar line. Moments later it was 19-0 and the mountain they would have to climb was looking mighty steep.

Again Vassar penetrated in to the Brown half and went through some phases but when they turned the ball over a deep kick was not fielded well. A ruck ensued and the ball was moved to the right where Bydwell gladly took a scoring pass and it was now a substantial lead at 26-0.

Vassar pushed forward but a kick from Milne was returned with interest and from a scrum close to the Vassar line the Brown number 8 almost scored. But there was no stopping Bydwell a moment later and the lead was now 31-0.

There was nothing more than pride now at stake for Vassar and to their credit they never stopped trying. First, Alex Milne ran strongly after a single ruck following a scrum, and then Elise Okusami sold an outrageous dummy and scored near the posts. A third Vassar try from freshman Keri Peacock made it 31-21 and for a moment the impossible seemed possible. Maybe the Brewers could fashion 10 pints in the last 5 minutes and take victory. But as time wound down and the result was known Brown got a final try to seal the win. Six tries to three made for an entertaining game.

Vassar will need to improve their defense considerably and monopolize the ball. Both are pre-requisites for winning.

Team: 15 Jenica Law 14 Lorraine DeGraffenreidt 13 Morandi Hurst 12 Alex Milne 11 Laura Redden 10 Elise Okusami 9 Keri Peacock 1 Becca Marcus 2 Hannah Roth 3 Susannah White 4 Meredith Kendall 5 Michelle Labas 6 Keke Hopson 7 Alex Thom 8 Mariko Yoshimura-Rank. Subs: Natalie duRivage for Becca Marcus, Amielle Major for Michelle Labas, Alana Melton for Hannah Roth, Alexis Liakos for Susannah White.

2007-08 Record: 2-1-0

Next week: Saturday October 7, 2007 versus Dartmouth College at Vassar College Farm, kick-off 1:00 p.m.

Vassar College Women “B” 17 v Brown University Women “B” 37
Tries: Amielle Major (1), Alana Melton (1), Julia Nissen (1).
Cons: Lorraine DeGraffenreidt (1).

Just like the first game the Vassar women were slow to get on track and they conceded some very soft tries. Brown ran strongly in the 10 and 12 channels but a simple tackle would have put paid to their efforts.

Up front Vassar had an edge in the scrums but they were unable to make it pay dividends. It was good to see two freshmen get deserved scores. Julia Nissen has hardly put a foot wrong this season. She runs hard, makes her tackles, and distributes well. She plays former Vassar flyhalf Emily Dorman and that is no small praise. In the forwards Amielle Major bashed her way over and she too has considerable potential.

This game heralded the comeback of Jessica Chong. She did well and showed a couple of her trademark slashing runs.

Freshman Adhira Mangalagiri tackled very well and Jarra Munger had a strong game. But all the team must tackle with more authority if they are to garner wins.

Team: 15 Ann Robertson 14 Adhira Mangalagiri 13 Jarra Munger 12 Julia Nissen 11 Stephanie Rapp 10 Anna Schneider 9 Tessa Solomon-Lane 1 Natalie duRivage 2 Alana Melton 3 Kim Nguyen 4 Summer Scott 5 Amielle Major 6 Katie Merlie 7 Laura Saiz 8 Alexis Liakos.
Subs: Lorraine DeGraffenreidt for Anna Schneider, KeKe Hopson for Natalie duRivage, Jess Chong for Stephanie Rapp.