POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (November 9, 2013) – It would be very unfair to single out one player as this game was a true team effort. But Vassar's Margaret Kwateng scored 5 tries as the Brewers ran in 9 tries and slotted 3 conversions to dispose of a feisty high spirited Colgate University Women's team.

Vassar College Women 51 v 12 Colgate University Women
Tries: Margaret Kwateng (5), Taylor Nunley (1), Cierra Thomas (2),  and Dallas Robinson (1).
Cons: Mary Margaret McElduff (3).

The players know best how much of a team effort this sport demands, for they are at the coalface and rely on each other to make everything happen. These Vassar women put their bodies on the line every time they step on the field and on this dry chilly fall afternoon there was a quiet focus prior to the kick-off.

Colgate started well enough but struggled to cope with the ferocity of the Vassar defenders. Vassar quickly gained an upper-hand in the rucks and they knew after 10 minutes that they would be able to get sufficient ball to win the game.

Dallas Robinson sent an early message as she fended off a couple of potential tacklers and rumbled over the gain line. The running of all the forwards was slightly better than the previous week and they saw immediate returns. It was Robinson who scored first and secured the lead 5-0. But the blueprint was there for try-scoring and great work by the forwards allowed scrumhalf Margaret Kwateng to scoot over from close range. Kwateng got the next 3 tries as Colgate was kept on the back foot and at 15-0 it looked like the visitors would struggle if Vassar maintained intensity and focus.

The Brewers had to do some re-jigging to the line-up as flyhalf Shira Idris was unable to play and center Natalie Ward moved over to take the play-maker role. She had an excellent game showing the kind of decision-making and maturity that took pressure off all around her. Rachel Thompson came over from the forwards to play in the center and she too was solid and reliable.

Up front the forwards maintained their rucking form and must surely now understand that body position and aggression is critical to continued success. Emma Elbaum, Meg Slattery, and Hannah Fink performed consistently and Mariah Ghant had some good runs. Darienne Jones came close to scoring a couple of times and Nathalie Freeman was a busy bee in the loose. In the set piece Vassar had Colgate going backwards and that meant what ball they did get was poor quality. Sophomore Taylor Nunley scored Vassar's fourth try and after Mary Margaret McElduff hit the conversion it was 22-0.

Colgate finally got some possession and scored with some close to the ruck picks to make it 22-5 and they must have thought there was hope for a comeback. But within minutes Kwateng scored the cheekiest of tries to round out the half when she dived in from close range and a scoreline of 27-5.

While Colgate had not offered a great deal in attack they had plenty of fighting spirit and they were fired up for the second half. They ran harder and very directly while putting more players into the rucks but it was that woman Margaret Kwateng who poured water on their parade when she sprinted in after intercepting a pass and it was 32-5.

The visiting Vassar alumni from the classes of '89 and '90 must have been impressed by the current squad. Colgate did score a try to make it 32-12 but staunch defense and another 3 tries pushed Vassar to an emphatic victory. Center Cierra Thomas scored twice the latter try being an interception and 65 yard scamper to the line.

One would be remiss not to mention Laila Blumethal-Rothchild and Anne Fritzson as they both produced outstanding open field tackles. Blumenthal-Rothchild is like a heat seeking missile and on at least three occasions she utterly destroyed Colgate runners who had broken through.

Vassar now moves on to the final 16 of the American Collegiate Rugby Association  Championship and will host 7 other teams next weekend.

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

Overall record: 8-2-0.

Next: Saturday & Sunday November 16th & 17th, 2013 American Collegiate Rugby Championship Round of 16 & Quarterfinals at Vassar College.

Saturday 12:00 noon kickoff at The Farm.