NEW YORK, NY (March 30, 2013) - Since 1995 the Vassar Women have played Columbia University Women over 30 times and never lost but no mention of this was made to the current Vassar team as they prepared to play under the lights at Columbia's Baker Field in New York. Columbia play in the Ivy Conference and have had stiff opposition from Brown and Princeton these past couple of years so they have improved immensely during this time. The main focus for the Vassar Women was to be aggressive, ruthless, and uncompromising. It led to a well played massively physical game that was a credit to rugby. Spectators had to be impressed with the tackling and determined running with no small measure of good tactical play thrown in.

Vassar College Women 30 v 19 Columbia University Women
Tries: Shanaye Williams (2), Dallas Robinson (1), Nichelle Jackson (1),  Nicole Guererro (1), & Meg Slattery (1).

Right from the start the Vassar Women set down a marker. Columbia caught the kick-off, won the ruck, and passed to one of their biggest forwards on the charge running off the fringe. Vassar's rookie lock, Darienne Jones, lined her up and then hit her so hard head-on it knocked her backwards and jarred the ball loose. It probably jarred her teeth loose as well as all the crowd winced in awe as the Vassar forwards piled into the ensuing ruck. Credit the Columbia player for she just jumped up and played on but the message had been sent loud and clear, Vassar was here to play and would take no prisoners!

The Vassar forwards took control immediately with some fast and furious rucking that allowed them to get runners in behind the Columbia defense. It was a real team effort by the Brewers and each player made valuable contributions. Shanaye Williams, Dallas Robinson, and Nichelle Jackson were particularly adept at shrugging off tacklers and each has there own style. Williams using her explosive pace and strong stiff-arm, Robinson tends to spin and use her strength gaining good yards, and Jackson steps out of tackles and keeps moving. All three have one thing in common which is that they do it well and break tackles! It came as no surprise then that they scored the first Vassar tries all down the left touchline just bashing Columbia defenders out of the way.

At 10-0 up Vassar had a scare and a preview of things to come when the Columbia flyhalf went down the blindside at a scrum just outside her own 22. She waltzed around the Vassar defense and into the clear racing for the line. The cover defense was tearing across and she beat the first defender coming inside and looked to have beaten the other defender but a hand slapped the ball loose and it went forward stopping the attack. Vassar breathed a sigh of relief but now knew this was game on and the Lions would be a force whenever they got the ball.

The Columbia 10 is a lovely footballer as she can run well with speed, is elusive, and can kick better than most women in the game. Vassar had to monopolize possession or they would be looking at defeat. In addition the Brewers set about trying to contain her with 3 people assigned to tackle her! Hannah Bober at 10 had a wonderful game. She defies the laws of probability as she rarely makes a mistake. She was faced with a really difficult task but stuck to it and was a major reason Vassar prevailed. Bober steered the 10 inside to where she got help and in addition the blindside wing was in support.

At the half it was 15-0 and it was Williams again who resumed where she had left off in the first half. Read Vassar 20 and Columbia 0. But Columbia made some adjustments for the second 40 and they put more players into the rucks. It allowed them to win more of their own ball and was effective at slowing the Vassar ball down. With more possession the Columbia 10 went to work. Her kicks had been well dealt with by Vassar's laura Howard. the tall fullback is having a renaissance in her last semester and she caught everything while running very well. She was unfortunate not to score but her contributions were critical.

Columbia got on the score-sheet with a breakaway try when Vassar was down to 14 players. Center Cierra Thomas was yellow carded and she was missed. She has come on in leaps and bounds and is a super player. Strong in contact, quick and decisive, she is truly a first class center. At 20-7 Vassar was still very much in control but one did wonder if with 14 players they might be stretched as Columbia threw caution to the wind and moved the ball around. It did not help matters that Dallas Robinson had to leave the field with a twisted ankle but Sandy Pogarcic came on and did well as her replacement.

But in true Vassar fashion the Brewers marched back down the field with the forwards picking and then it was Nicole Guererro who dashed through for a lovely try and it was 25-7. Vassar had given up a try with 14 players but then scored as if to say, "We can score if we want to do so!"

When Thomas returned it was at the same moment another Vassar player was yellow carded! Sophia Rutkin was judged to have come into a ruck from the side and referee Fontaine Lloyd had had enough. So Vassar was still at 14 players against Columbia's 15. Columbia scored with another breakaway effort going some 60 yards but sloppy tackling allowed this score and it was 25-12.

Meg Slattery dived in to make it 30-12 before Vassar gave up a late try and the game finished 30-19. Columbia had been beaten by a big team effort with the physicality of the Vassar forwards laying a platform and the backs pressurizing the Columbia players into mistakes. Rachel Thompson was outstanding at hooker as was Sophia Rutkin but kudos to all and while some are not mentioned they are truly appreciated.

Team: 15 Laura Howard 14 Hannak Fink 13 Tamasha Persaud 12 Cierra Thomas 11 Marissa Davis 10 Hannah Bober 9 Yael Schwartz 1 Nichelle Jackson 2 Rachel Thompson 3 Shanaye Williams 4 Sophia Rutkin 5 Darienne Jones 6 Dallas Robinson 7 Meg Slattery 8 Nicole Guerrero. Subs:  Sandy Pogarcic for Dallas Robinson.

Next: Saturday April 6, 2013 at Yale University Women, in New Haven, CT kick-off 10:30 am