POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (October 17, 2010) -- In a battle for regular season first place and top seed going into the divisional playoffs, the Vassar College women's rugby team fell 27-22 to cross-town rival Marist College Sunday at the Farm.

The regular season is now over and it's playoff time. In other words, win or you are done! Next weekend the Vassar Women will be at home on Sunday against Rutgers in a semifinal for the Met. NY Division Championship. They'll need to show up for the full 80 minutes if they want to get another shot at Marist.

It was a home game for the Brewers, the weather was perfect, and the opponent was the defending Metropolitan New York Division II Champions and local rivals Marist College. If ever there was a time to come out with all guns blazing and shoot up the town this was the day to do it! Yet Vassar seemed to be going through the motions in the first half. Yes, they battled but they seem to lack passion and conviction! Marist wanted the win more, it was that simple.

Hopefully, the lesson has been learnt as Vassar fell behind 12-5, and they will never again put themselves in a hole having to play catch-up when they might well have been in control throughout.

For the majority of the first half it was 5-0 to Marist and if truth be told Vassar was fortunate it was so close as they had turned the ball over far too many times. Players must realize that when they take the ball into contact it is their responsibility to ensure it is retained. But even more important players have to understand that they must run to beat defenders and then some! Every time a player has the ball the object is to score so they should run to do so.

Down at the half there were some harsh words and in the second 40 minutes Vassar regained some pride as they came back with 3 tries and at one point it was 22-15 with Marist forced to defend.

Laura Howard ran strongly and tackled well and Margaret Kwateng continues to be fiesty with ball in hand. At scrumhalf Julia Nissen did very well filling in and Hannah Bober was Zen-like throughout always staying calm and constructive.

The second half also saw the crowd get behind the team and it helped as they battered the Marist line.

Vassar College Women 22 v Marist College Women 27
Tries: Margaret Kwateng (1), Laura Howard (1), Alyssa Bell (1), Penalty Try (1).
Cons: Addie Provenzano (1).

Team: 15 Addie Provenzano 14 Margaret Kwateng 13 Chelsea Boccagno 12 Laura Howard 11 Naomi Dann 10 Hannah Bober 9 Julia Nissen 1 Nichelle Jackson 2 Kim Beaudoin 3 Alyssa Bell 4 Patty Walton 5 Maddie Zappala 6 Dana Hart 7 Dallas Robinson 8 O'Mara Taylor. Subs: Mia Fermindoza for Naomi Dann.

Vassar College Women "B" 20 v Marist College Women "B" 17
Tries: Mia Fermindoza (4).

In the end it was 4 tries to the Brewers and 3 for the visitors in a game where Rachel Lenihan dropped the hammer a couple of times and stopped attackers in their tracks. The Vassar fullback may not be the fastest player on the field but when she arrives it's with a big bang.

With Lenihan moping up at the back it was left to the Vassar forwards to provide enough ball for scrumhalf Mia Fermindoza to use. The ever improving rookie spotted gaps in the Marist defense to the tune of 4 tries! She can thank the hard running of Sandy Pogarcic, Rachel Thompson, and the other Vassar forwards for disrupting the defense before she scampered to her double brace.

This was a step up from last week for the Brewers and it was good to see them winning rucks and using the ball well.

Team: 15 Rachel Lenihan 14 Emma Elbaum 13 Naomi Dann 12 Chelsea Boccagno 11 Libby Jacobson 10 Natalie Ward 9 Mia Fermindoza 1 Rachel Thompson 2 Maddie Little 3 Manola Fortun 4 Kate Merlie 5 Sandy Pogarcic 6 Nicole Whitney. Subs: Hannah Bober for Chelsea Boccagno, Alyssa Bell for Kate Merlie.