- Head Coach Tony Brown

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (September 6, 2015) – All the spectators will now know why the teams about to compete at the World Cup need warm-up games! This game did not resemble a divisional contest as both sides struggled to get any cohesion. On what can only be described as a glorious day with sunshine and blue skies over the Farm, the Vassar College Men took on their cross-river rivals SUNY-New Paltz. In the spring the teams had met in the final of the Tri-State Conference Sevens Championship and Vassar had won on that occasion. The hot weather and the fact that this was the first game for these players in 5 months led to a host of errors and late into the second half one score separated the teams.
 

Vassar College Men 27 v 14 SUNY-New Paltz Men

Tries: Seamus Taylor (1), Eli Vargas (2), and Gary Garcia (1).

Cons: Gary Garcia (2).

Pens: Gary Garcia (1).
 

It all began with structure, shape and a small amount of precision. Vassar caught the kick-off and immediately went to work driving up the field. The ball was recycled and rookie scrumhalf Gary Garcia must have thought the game was going to be a stroll in the park as he received clean ball and the team went forward. But even though Vassar did manage some degree of shape for the first 40 minutes the wheels came off the wagon in the second half.

At the 16-minute mark center Seamus Taylor fended off two would be tacklers to score a try and give Vassar the lead 5-0. But it would stay that close for most of the half until his colleague in the center, Eli Vargas, went over and Garcia's conversion made it 12-0. When the Vassar forwards hit the rucks they won ball but they tended to neglect rucking when the ball was "kinda-maybe" won and it led to New Paltz defenders hitting the player as they stooped down to pick the ball up. There were other worrying signs as the Vassar scrum lost a couple put-ins and the ball was turned over in loose play far too often.

The Vargas try came from a scrum when Adam D'Agostino stole a put-in and the ball was moved quickly to the backs. Flyhalf Nick Olkovsky took the real estate on offer and then popped a simple pass to Vargas who ran from just inside his own half, a full 55 yards, and stepped the fullback. Up front the Vassar pack was winning ball but there was not the level of consistency they must have to be in control. Zach Rippe was excellent and he made hard yards time and time again. But when the players look at the video of the game they will see their errors and hopefully learn. Espada picked and went the wrong way at a ruck, Winton stopped in a ruck, Crouch and Loree were too upright in contact, while in the backs Olkovsky threw a number of low passes, Taylor did not come up on defense, Garcia was caught in possession too often, and both wings looked lost. The half finished with Garcia slotting a much-needed penalty and Vassar led 15-0.

The talk at half time was about winning rucks cleanly, catching the ball, and the defensive line coming up as a unit. Unfortunately things got much worse! Tackles were missed, turnovers plagued the team and the rucks became even untidier. In the space of 2 minutes Vassar had 3 knock-ons and a forward pass and that persisted particularly with the backs as the forwards did manage to keep supplying ball.

It was ironic that the next score should come as a result of poor passing from New Paltz but Gary Garcia was the recipient of a bouncing ball just 10 yards out from the goal line and he grabbed the opportunity to put Vassar up 20-0.

The came a period of play in the final 10 minutes of the game when Vassar completely went to sleep! Tackles were missed or not made at all and suddenly it was a 20-14 game with New Paltz scoring twice. So with about 7 minutes left a converted try by the visitors would have given them the victory.  However, when New Paltz infringed in their 22 Vassar's Eli Vargas nipped over with some quick thinking taking a tap penalty and Vassar finished 27-14 victors.

The team will be glad to put this game behind them and now they need to put in some very hard work and improve areas of poor performance. There can be no substitute for hard work and there must be an almighty commitment if they are to improve.

Team: 15 Joe Simon 14 Connor Snyder 13 Seamus Taylor 12 Eli Vargas 11 Sam Lehn 10 Nick Olkovsky 9 Gary Garcia 1 John Loree 2 Adam D'Agostino 3 John Winton 4 Louis Khourey 5 Josh Espada 6 Wade Crouch 7 Justin Nam 8 Zach Rippe. Subs: David Wallach for John Loree, Dale Lord for Wade Crouch, Charlie Hooghkirk for Connor Snyder, and Caleb Zachary for Justin Nam. 

Overall record: 1-0-0

Next week: Saturday September 12, 2015 versus Siena College at Vassar College Farm – Kickoff 1:00 p.m.
 

--VASSAR--