POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (April 27, 2013) - It has been a fretful Spring for the Brewers. An 8-2 Fall season was followed by a very good off-season conditioning program and a tour to Spain where the men went 1-1. So it seemed that they would add to the win column even though they faced a couple of division I opponents. But a lack of consistency particularly in terms of defense proved their undoing and it was no different against the visiting University at Albany team. Under sunny skies a total of 14 tries were scored unfortunately for the home team they managed just 4 of them.

Vassar College Men 24 v 58 University at Albany Men
Tries: Akeel St, Vil (1), Zach Kent (1), Jesses Myhill (1), & Nic Placeres (1).
Cons: Nick Graham (2).

It was the worst of starts possible as Albany scored twice within 10 minutes! The visitors caught the opening kick-off and burst through a gap in the defensive line and then did the same from the restart! It was certainly not what the doctor had ordered for the Brewers as they sought to reward the seniors with a final win to their 4-year spell at Vassar. There was nothing fancy about either try as the Albany ball carrier just ran past 3 would be tacklers in both instances.

So the visitors now knew that they could just run hard and have success. Then, adding fuel to the fire, the lightweight Vassar pack was demolished in the scrum so notch up another area of dominance and it was looking like a long day for the Brewers. But the next score was a good one for the home team. Perhaps Albany eased up a little after such a sparkling start but in any event Vassar won a quick strike at a scrum and fill-in Number 8 Nic Placeres made good ground before being brought down, a number of phases later flyhalf Akeel St. Vil scored and there was hope of a fight-back. At 10-5 and with a quarter of the game gone maybe Vassar would start to tackle better and settle down in the scrum.

Albany however were intent on dousing the fire before it got any worse. They scored 3 more tries in the first half and 2 of them were a direct result of simple missed tackles and took a commanding 29-5 lead into halftime. The worry for Vassar was that the missed tackles were not a product of confusion as there were no decoy runners or clever passes, it was just one on one instances and the Vassar defender either failed to make contact or flailed with an arm!

The Vassar attack had struggled because they would get turned over after beginning to establish some pressure. Sometimes they would go through 5 or 6 phases and then suddenly Albany had poached the ball and was headed in the opposite direction. The second half began like the first with an Albany score and heads went down. Players have to realize that it is an 80 minute game and whatever the scoreline they must play with the intent of scoring next.

Zach Kent was having a good game despite a missed tackle in the first half that led to a try and he made amends when he went over to make it 36-12. But again Vassar was unable to get a stop and Albany kept the margin leading 43-12.

The best try of the day was scored by Jesse Myhill as Vassar replied to make it 43-17. The backs received some good ball from the forwards and worked it wide to the diminutive winger who intelligently danced his way over. But the Albany team was in dominant form and ran in 3 more tries as Vassar fell off tackles.

The Brewers finish the year at 10-10-1, a .500 team, and although it was a disappointing sping after the solid fall there has been some key development as freshmen have gained valuable experience. One hopes the product of this spring will be a clear understanding that there must be commitment to being a reliable and consistent defender. Teams that miss tackles lose more often than not and every player has to be a good defender in all circumstances.

A huge thank you is owed to the seniors for all their efforts over the past 4 years. Captains Joe Karpman and Ian Ruginski have left a lasting legacy, with a good freshmen class, and they hopefully will be diligent about off-season workouts, preparing mentally each week for their game, and representing Vassar with pride every time they take the field.

Thank you to the seniors Joe Karpman, Ian Ruginski, Zach Kent, Dan Flynn, Nic Placeres, Alan Kenney, Jonathan Chu, Hayden Moon, Roman Kopit, Jehan Shams, and Stephen Platz.

Team: 15 Nich Graham 14 Jerry Dieudonne 13 Alan Hagins 12 Zach Kent 11 Jesse Myhill 10 Akeel St. Vil 9 Karl Foley 1 Joe Karpman 2 Kenta Hasui 3 Roman Kopit  4 Louis Khourey 5 Zach Rippe 6 Ian Ruginski 7 Alan Kenney 8 Nic Placeres. Subs: Jake Sheehy for Alan Hagins, Dan Flynn for Joe Karpman, Stephan Platz for Jerry Dieudonne, Alex Voynow for Kenta Hasui, Matt Brown for Louis Khourey.

Overall record: 10-10-1.

Next weekend: Saturday May 4, 2013 The Vassar College Alumni Game - Kick-off 12:00 noon.

Vassar College Men "B" 29 v 5 University at Albany Men "B"

Tries: Alex Voynow (2), Stoddard Meigs (1), John Winton (1), & Jake Sheehy (1).
Cons: Stoddard Meigs (2).

In stark contrast to the "A" game the Vassar men came out of the blocks at a blistering pace and not only made their tackles but secured the ball and went through multiple phases! At flyhalf Stoddard Meigs looked very comfortable no doubt because the ball being won by the forwards was quick and it put Vassar on the front foot. Meigs got the ball wide to Eric Quinson at 13, who usually plays flanker, and he made some big line breaks. But this was a day for each player to have some moments in the sun. Steven Juca on the right wing twice went skimming around his opposite number and had a try saving tackle at the end of the game. Eric Santacruz did his best impersonation of Richie McCaw poaching a ball in the first half to set up a Vassar counter-attack. Justin Nam made a cover tackle in the first half on a raging bull of a prop that was only 20 yards out on the charge for the line. At the close of the first half the entire team made a goal-line stand that thwarted Albany for multiple phases and about 10 minutes. In the end the visitors did get over but it felt like a moral victory for the Brewers.

At the half it was 19-5 in favor of the Vassar men. Alex Voynow playing at Number 8 had scored first for the Brewers with a typical jinking run and after some forward pressure prop John Winton drove over to put Vassar up 12-0. Although the scrum was under pressure the forwards were around the field winning rucks. Voynow, usually a hooker, was enjoying the freedom of Number 8 and went over again to give Vassar a 19-0 lead before Albany squeezed over for a score of their own.

Eric Quinson had to leave the field but Kenta Hasui, the all-purpose player, slotted comfortably into outside center and he too made good yards in the second half. Karl Foley was replaced by Jake Sheehy and despite an injured hip he did an excellent job and was rewarded with a try late in the game. The lasting impression was of the Vassar men putting together  phases and shaping their attack while Albany tended to react spontaneously when they did get the ball.

Congratulations to the team for a fine effort. It is rare that when the "A" side loses by such a margin that the "B" side wins as convincingly as they did.

Team: 15 Stephen Platz 14 Steven Juca 13 Eric Quinson 12 Alejandro Dinsmore 11 Jacob Adelgren 10 Stoddard Meigs 9 Karl Foley 1 Eric Santacruz 2 Adam D'Agostino 3 John Winton 4 Matt Brown 5 Jonathan Chu 6 Justin Nami 7 Wade Crouch 8 Alex Voynow. Subs: Jake Sheehy for Karl Foley, Alan Kenney for Adam D'Agostino, Kenta Hasui for Eric Quinson.