POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (March 26, 2011) -- The Vassar College women's rugby team scored eight tries, over half of them courtesy of captain Keri Peacock, as it swept aside a fiesty and spirited Amherst College team on a bright but bitterly cold breezy day at the Farm. The Vassar scrumhalf still managed to find time to make multiple tackles, distribute the ball to her teammates, and is surely an All-American selection this year on the national scene.

Vassar College Women 44 v Amherst College Women 5
Tries: Margaret Kwateng (2), Keri Peacock (5), Patty Walton (1).
Cons: Laura Howard (2).

Next: Saturday April 2nd, 2011 versus Yale University Women at Vassar, KO 2:00 p.m.

Amherst looked like they had all the ingredients for a winning team. They had a number 10 who was more than capable with her kicking skills. She struck the ball well and found either touch or space. Up front they had a pack of considerable size who in warm-ups drove lineouts and seemed well organized. They also had some players who were quick and direct. Meanwhile, Vassar was without starters O'Mara Taylor and Dallas Robinson, their first and second choice Number 8! So it fell to sophomore Patty Walton to take the responsibility of playing this position. The Minnesota native took to it like a fish to water. She ran well and either offloaded to support, usually Peacock, or opted to place the ball and it was recycled. She was rewarded for all her efforts with a try towards the end of the game.

Vassar started with a bang! The kick-off was caught, the ball recycled, and then Peacock went blind and fed Margaret Kwateng who exploded down the right wing going about 70 yards to score under the posts. New place kicker Laura Howard couldn't have been more pleased as she slotted the conversion and Vassar led 7-0.

Amherst may have had the personnel but they faced a confident and focused Vassar pack. The Vassar 8 rucked with the ferocity of the New Zealand Back Ferns and it provided a good platform for Peacock and the backs to operate. Kwateng scored again for Vassar again when she danced around would be defenders and Howard did the honors. At 14-0 Amherst responded and after some strong pick and drives from their big forwards they made it 14-5.

But after that it was the Keri Peacock show! The Vassar senior scored 5 of the next 6 tries, 2 to round out the first half and make the Vassar lead 24-5. Playing at scrumhalf she has a lot of responsibility and a lot of attention from the opposition! She sprinted through, she side-stepped through, she picked and drove around the fringes, and she ran in support to get her scores. She did all this as well as jumping in the lineout and making more tackles in a single game than most NFL linebackes do in a season!

It must be noted that the efforts of all are truly commendable. Up front the Vassar forwards, each and every one, played their part while the backs sliced through gaps and passed well in the windy conditions.

This squad has developed a real cohesion that is showing in the way that just go out and play for each other. The freshmen class and rookies are a gung-ho group and all will get opportunities this spring.

Vassar next weekend face Yale University Women who will provide a stern test but if the team even come close to mirroring their captain's example they will emerge winners.

Team: 15 Addie Provenzano 14 Margaret Kwateng 13 Laura Howard 12 Julia Nissen 11 Jessica Lance 10 Hannah Bober 9 Keri Peacock 1 Alyssa Bell 2 Kim Beaudoin 3 Nichelle Jackson 4 Maddie Zappala 5 Kate Merlie 6 Dana Hart 7 Rachel Thompson 8 Patty Walton. Subs: Maddie Little for Kim Beaudoin (blood), Chelsea Boccagno for Addie Provenzano, Celia Castellan for Hannah Bober, Jansyn Thaw for Rachel Thompson, Naimah Petigny for Alyssa Bell, Sandy Pogarcic, for Dana Hart, Emma Elbaum, Naomi Dann, Libby Jacobson, Natalie Ward, Julia Maltby, Nada Mohamed, Kyle Higgins, Sharon Adongo, Kerrin Poole.
Injured: Dallas Robinson, Mia Fermindoza, and O'Mara Taylor.
Unavailable: Manola Fortun, Caitlin Bull, Sarah Fuentes, and Jazmin Dandridge.

Team 2010-11 overall record: 9-3-1.