- Head Coach Tony Brown

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (April 6, 2015) – On this bitterly cold spring day a total of thirty (30) Vassar Women took the field to represent the college playing rugby against first SUNY-New Paltz and then SUNY-Oneonta. By the end of the day team captains Margaret Slattery and Yael Schwartz were smiling from ear to ear as Vassar had triumphed over both teams. It was a massive squad effort in which everybody played a part. The Vassar ladies can walk tall and walk proud for today they exemplified the Vassar teams that have come before them.

Vassar College Women 68 v 0 SUNY-New Paltz Women

Tries: Laila Blumenthal-Rothchild (1), Elaina Peterkin (1), Taylor Nunley (2), Kathleen Gould (1), Abigail Alexander (2), Michelle Urrutia (1), Sophia Rutkin (1), Sarah Mawhinney (1), & Elizabeth Berridge (2).

Cons: Mary-Margaret McElduff (2). & Sarah Mawhinney (2).

The purpose of the spring season is to get the first year players experience playing alongside the more experienced players. It is important that they become a contributing part of the structure of a game and that is more likely with other good players on the field.

Up against New Paltz the Brewers had just too much firepower for the cross river rivals. That is not to say that New Paltz just sat back for the Hawks had a number of strong attacks that required a couple of try saving tackles from the home team.

Freshman Elaina Peterkin made a quantum leap forward as she ran with power and made her presence felt on the field. She wants to inherit the nickname "Amtrak" and today she bought her first ticket! Michelle Urrutia ran with conviction and Kristina Catomeris at flanker was equally strong with the ball in hand. The latter really seems to enjoy every minute and if she is not smiling she is laughing as she plays! It's a good energy for the team.

At fullback Abigail Alexander tackled and ran as if she has played there all her life. She scored a brace of tries and probably most important it allows Laila Blumenthal-Rothchild to move up to center where she has always been found to stand! Pulling the strings with real confidence was Mary Margaret McElduff. The sophomore flyhalf took control and distributed well.

The engine that makes the team run is Meg Slattery and even though she was at flanker rather than Number 8 she worked tirelessly. Taylor Nunley looked really, really quick and she darted over for 2 tries and she worked well with scrumhalf Jyen Wong.

There was a good cameo performance from Sarah Mawhinney as she scored and slotted 2 conversions to cap off the game. All in all the Vassar team worked well to create their scores as New Paltz fought a valiant rearguard action.

Team: 15 Abigail Alexander 14 Tamasha Persaud 13 Laila Blumenthal-Rothchild 12 Michelle Urrutia 11 Andrea Ramsay 10 Mary Margaret McElduff 9 Jyen Wong 1 Darienne Jones 2 Kathleen Gould 3 Elaina Peterkin 4 Sophia Rutkin 5 Leigh Yakubowski 6 Kristina Catomeris 7 Meg Slattery 8 Taylor Nunley Subs: Lizzie Bennett for Darienne Jones, Nicole Steele for Lizzie Bennett, Claire Fondrie-Teitler for Mary Margaret McElduff, Deva Zheng for Andrea Ramsay, Sarah Mawhinney for Taylor Nunley.

Vassar College Women 32 v 24 SUNY-Oneonta Women

Tries: Nathalie Freeman (1), Cierra Thomas (1), Darienne Jones (2), & Elizabeth Berridge (2).

Cons: Meg Slattery (1).

Down 17-5 at the half and then 24-5 with 35 minutes left in the game it certainly looked like Vassar was going to lose! The Brewers would have posession and make good yards going through the phases only for a turnover to be quickly moved to speedsters and a try to be scored!

The theme of the first 50 minutes was just that - move up field, get turnover, miss a couple of tackles and Oneonta would score. The visitors really had their hopes up and must have felt they were cruising to a victory at 24-5.

But the Vassar Women rallied and an inspirational try scored by Cierra Thomas stopped the hemorrhaging. The forwards increased their intensity and brought some fire and brimstone to the fray and it was Oneonta who were on the back foot. Lizzie Berridge was a constant threat andin this game she scored 2 tries to add to the 2 she got in game 1.

One cannot praise the efforts of the forwards enough in this contest because Oneonta had size and an attitude at the breakdown. Darienne Jones was constantly in the action either tackling or running but all 8 finished dominant.

24-12 became 24-17 then the two Berridge tries made it 27-24 and with their noses in front Vassar was not going to be denied. It was fitting that Jones should score the final try after all the good work she and her forwards had done.

Team: 15 Laila Blumenthal-Rothchild 14 Aja Dunn 13 Cierra Thomas 12 Amanda Saich 11 Mary Margaret McElduff 10 Shira Idris 9 Meg Slattery 1 Darienne Jones 2 Ellen Quist 3 Mariah Ghant 4 Lizzie Bennett 5 Lauren Workman 6 Nathalie Freeman 7 Elizabeth Berridge 8 Taylor Nunley Subs: Abigail Alexander for Amanda Saich, Leigh Yakubowski for Ellen Quist, Elaina Peterkin for Lizzie Bennett, Claire Fondrie-Teitler for Aja Dunn, Megan deKoning for Mary Margaret McElduff.

Next: Saturday April 11, 2015 at Stony Brook University for the Tri-State Conference 7s Championship KO 11:00 am

--VASSAR--