POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (September 20, 2008) -- The Vassar women's rugby team defeated Yale 40-12 on Saturday at the Vassar Farm. The Brewers scored eight tries, but failed to convert any of them. "It was a performance that displayed plenty of individual effort but lacked any consistent team shape," said head coach Tony Brown.

No Chance of Merger with Yale

In the latter part of the last century there was talk of Yale University merging with Vassar College. The All-Male Ivy league school wished to join forces with the Vassar Women. But the Vassar Women rejected the idea and stood alone. That both institutions, now co-educational, have prospered is plain for all to see but the Vassar Women restated their independence and continued their winning ways against the Ivy Leaguers in this Fall '08 divisional opener.

Vassar College Women 40 v Yale University Women 12
Tries: Keri Peacock (3), Dani Goodman-Levy (1), Alex Milne (2), Nicole Daddazio (1), & Ami Major (1).

It was a game in which both teams showed plenty of effort and many individuals had good moments. But for both teams there was little shape or pattern to their play.

Vassar got off to a great start after just 3 minutes when Keri Peacock (pictured) slipped through the defense to put the Brewers in front 5-0. It was her first of 3 tries and she effectively killed off any hope Yale had of a comeback in the second half when she scored the last two. It was only some 13 hours earlier that she had been in Vassar Brothers Hospital with severe stomach pain and was vomiting. She recovered well enough and was all over the field for Vassar making tackles and linking with her forwards and backs.

Yale certainly came to play and they ran hard forcing the Vassar defense to backpedal and get organized. They put in some kicks behind that brought them a measure of success but had just the one try in the first half to show for their endeavor. By that time Vassar had scored 3 tries in total and thus led 15-5.

Vassar's second try came from short range when flyhalf Alex Milne, sporting a very black eye from practice earlier in the week, plunged over. The kick looked to be a formality, but as with all the kicks on this beautiful early fall afternoon it was missed. Vassar left 16 points on the field missing all 8 conversions!

Nicole Daddazio gave Vassar a 15-0 lead when she squeezed in at the corner after some decent continuity inside the Yale 22. It was also a half that saw Vassar rookies Kelly Fitzgerald and Alyssa Bell do well in their first full starts for the Brewers.

The team got the first score of the second half to go up 20-5 when Dani Goodman-Levy fly-hacked a ball that kindly bounced into her arms. She ran strongly and stepped the defense to score. Vassar's lineouts were having some success and Ami Major scored from one in the Yale 22 after a nice catch and drive. Milne added another and at 30-5 Vassar looked comfortable though not dominant. The Vassar backs were guilty of coming up slowly in defense and when Yale got some ball they made good yards.

Yale had the next say and scored a nice try from a set piece when Vassar center Laura Redden stayed out rather than cracking in. It allowed the Yale fullback to get in behind and she sidestepped Vassar's Daddazio. Daddazio had made 2 wonderful one on one tackles and is a fearless defender. But Redden's lapse seemed to epitomize the team performance as she had made some wonderful plays earlier. She had a couple of mazy runs and looked dangerous going forward only to miss that tackle and earn a blemish.

At 30-12 Yale was still remotely in touch. It was then that Peacock struck scoring two good tries, one after a strike against the head by Alana Melton and the other after a fine run by Ami Major.

So the Vassar Women open their divisional campaign with a win and next week they travel to Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. This will likely be a very tough game and they will need to improve their team shape.

Team: 15 Nicole Daddazio 14 Kelly Fitzgerald 13 Laura Redden 12 Julia Nissan 11 Alyssa Bell 10 Alex Milne 9 Keri Peacock 1 Ami Major 2 Alana Melton 3 Vicky Gonzalez 4 Meredith Kendall 5 Hannah Roth 6 Alex Thom 7 Keke Hopson 8 Dani Goodman-Levy. Subs: Bridget Meade for Alyssa Bell.

2007-08 Overall Record: 3-0-0.

Next weekend: Saturday September 27, 2008 Vassar College Women at Dartmouth College, kick-off 1:00 p.m.