POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (October 26, 2013) – It is more often than not tougher to defeat an opponent a second time in a season when teams are evenly matched. The previously defeated team gets up for the game and play with ferocity to redress the loss. The Vassar Women had to take on Rutgers University having just edged them last weekend 24-20. Rutgers had plenty of pace and had scored 4 tries against Vassar so there was plenty of apprehension in the Brewers ranks.

Vassar College Women 17 v 0 Rutgers University Women
Tries: Margaret Kwateng (2) and Cierra Thomas (1).
Cons: Mary Margaret McElduff (1).

This Fall has been spectacular in terms of weather and the rugby teams have enjoyed playing on sunny days in dry conditions. In this Conference quarterfinal game against Rutgers University Women played on the Marist College campus it was another lovely day but the teams did have to contend with a powerful wind.

In the first half Vassar played with the strong gusts behind them and despite dominating territory and possession turned around with no points on the board!  They had looked dangerous and probably should have scored 2 tries from close range but were held up in-goal or gave away a penalty.

Rutgers made a couple of breaks and looked threatening when individuals slipped a tackle but Vassar's fullback Laila Blumenthal-Rothchild stopped them in their tracks.

It was good to see the Vassar forwards on the front foot and they made strong inroads with scrumhalf Margaret Kwateng running the show at 9.  Meg Slattery and Dallas Robinson were very prominent gaining yards but it was a team effort as the rucking was vastly improved and players knew they had to take out the strong Rutgers forwards in the loose. But the final cutting edge was lacking when the team neared the goal line and at 0-0 Rutgers must have really fancied their chances in the second half with such a stiff wind behind them.

In the opening minutes of the second half Vassar managed to establish steady possession and when they neared the line Margaret Kwateng burrowed in among the forwards to dive through and score. Mary Margaret McElduff kicked the conversion and a 7-nil Vassar lead was very deserved.

The lineout was functioning well and Vassar's front row had the edge in the scrums so it was difficult for Rutgers with no platform. But a 7-point lead was nothing in that wind and Vassar had to dominate the loose play to prevent turnover ball.

The team was definitely buoyed by the lead and they ran with real conviction. The ubiquitous Vassar backrow of Fink, Slattery, and Robinson made sure that the ball was won and it led to a try when Vassar's Cierra Thomas ran well and the lead became 12-0.

Rutgers kicked long at the re-start but the ball went dead and Vassar's dominant scrum won their put-in and it was more of the same with Robinson picking up and barging her way forward. One would not have known she has been nursing a sore back as she often abused tacklers.

Very fittingly Margaret Kwateng scored the try that sealed the victory for the Brewers and with it a place in the semi-final of the conference championship.

Team: 15 Laila Blumenthal-Rothchild 14 Anne Fritzson 13 Natalie Ward 12 Cierra Thomas 11 Mary Margaret McElduff 10 Shira Idris 9 Margaret Kwateng 1 Darienne Jones 2 Nathalie Freeman 3 Mariah Ghant 4 Emma Elbaum 5 Rachel Thompson 6 Hannah Fink 7 Meg Slattery 8 Dallas Robinson.  Subs: Kathleen Gould for Nathalie Freeman & Taylor Nunley for Emma Elbaum.

Overall record: 5-2-0.

Next: Conference Semifinal game versus Marist College 10-26-13 at Marist (report to follow this evening.)