POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (November 2, 2008) -- It was all hands to the pumps as Vassar and UMass., Amherst faced off in a Northeast Rugby Union Division I quarterfinal at The Farm. The history between these two teams has seen close games in the playoffs and this one was no different. After 50 minutes the scores were tied at 7-7. Both teams had lineups missing starters as the season has taken it's toll and what can at best be described as a disjointed affair came down to guts.

Vassar College Women 24 v UMass., Amherst Women 12
Tries: Dani Goodman-Levy (2), Keke Hopson (1), & Natalie duRivage (1).
Cons: Alex Milne (2).

Both Vassar and UMass limped into this quarterfinal with significant injuries to key players. Vassar had to rearrange their entire pack and was without their scrumhalf. Number 8 Dani Goodman-Levy stepped into that position and did an admirable job but they lacked the cohesion necessary to dominate. UMass had issues with their back division so the question was how would these losses pay out.

UMass did well in the scrums early and that disrupted the platform Vassar needed to get their healthy section involved. UMass employed a deep kicking game to compensate for their problems but Vassar's Lorraine DeGraffenreidt fielded the kicks and counter-attacked well.

Vassar dominated territory in the first half but had only a Dani Goodman-Levy try to show for their efforts. They led 7-0 but really should have scored another 2 if not 3 tries. Both teams gave 100% in terms of effort but it was not a pretty affair. At a number of scrums in the UMass 22 the Vassar spine was out of sync. It is best summed up with one example as the scrumhalf called one play, the flyhalf checked it off, and the number 8 did something else!

The second half saw UMass continue to kick deep and try to wheel the Vassar scrum. It was from one deep kick that they scored. DeGraffenreidt was tackled and at the ensuing ruck Vassar gave away a penalty. A UMass player alertly tapped and dived over to make it 7-7 and anyone's game. UMass was buoyed and had the momentum but Vassar responded with an impressive display of picking and driving going over 40 yards and it ended Keke Hopson burrowed over and Vassar led 12-5.

Confidence restored Vassar kept up the pressure and the forwards once again were rewarded for their close quarters work when Natalie duRivage scored to make it 17-7. But in true playoff fashion UMass rose to the challenge and scored a good try from the halfway line. Following a ruck 10 meters inside the Vassar half on the left wing the visitors spun the ball out and slipped through the centers and then linked with their speedy left wing. She ran around Reddan and Lance to score in the corner and it was 17-12.

Immediately Vassar replied in the best possible fashion. They marched down the field and Dani Goodman-Levy went over to ensure that Vassar would advance. Alex Milne added the conversion and it was 24-12.
Team: 15 Lorraine DeGraffenreidt 14 Jessica Lance 13 Laura Redden 12 Julia Nissen 11 Bridget Meade 10 Alex Milne 9 Dani Goodman-Levy 1 Mariko Yoshimura-Rank 2 Alana Melton 3 Natalie duRivage 4 Meredith Kendall 5 Dana Hart 6 Alex Thom 7 Hannah Roth 8 Keke Hopson. Subs: Nicole Daddazio for Bridget Meade, Suzanne Sweetnam for Natalie duRivage.
2007-08 Overall Record: 6-3-0.

Next: Saturday & Sunday November 8-9, 2008 at the Northeast Final 4 hosted by Bowdoin College, New Brunswick, Maine.


Northeast Rugby Union Championship
Quarterfinal Results - Saturday November 1, 2008
Army Women 15 v Providence College Women 0 - forfeit
Vassar College Women 24 v UMass., Amherst Women 12
Dartmouth College Women 5 v University of Buffalo Women 0
Brown University Women 49 v Cornell University Women 3
Northeast Rugby Union Final 4 at Bowdoin College
Saturday November 8, 2008
Army Women v Vassar College Women
Brown University Women v Dartmouth College Women
Sunday November 2, 2008
Championship and third/fourth place playoff.
The top 3 teams advance to Nationals in the spring.