POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (March 26, 2026) -- Usually at this time of year the Vassar team is returning from tour with 2 or 3 games and a number of practices under their belt. But the Vassar Women did not tour overseas and had just one practice in the past 14 days to prepare for their first spring game. In addition, 6 starters were missing from the lineup so it was with some trepidation that they took the field against UMass., Amherst. The concern seemed to focus the team and what followed was a very competent display given the circumstances.

Vassar College Women 36 v 0 University of Massachusetts, Amherst Women

Tries: Jyen Wong (1), Penalty Try (1),  Sarah Mawhinney (1), Cierra Thomas (2),

& Rachel Elson (1).

Cons: Mary Margaret McElduff (3).

The tone of this game was set by the Vassar defense in the first 10 minutes led superbly by Darienne Jones, Cierra Thomas, and Taylor Nunley. This trio made some crunching tackles and sent a clear message to the UMass ball carriers that if they wanted to score there was no easy route. In addition, Kayla Lightner at inside center and Mary Margart McElduff at flyhalf joined this wrecking crew!

UMass tried to bash their way through running off the fringes and then by putting the ball wide but they had little success. In stark contrast when Vassar got the ball the Brewers punched up the field and gained territory. It was very fitting that Vassar scrumhalf Jyen Wong scored the first try for she has worked hard to improve her pass and was consistent all day long. From a scrum on the right side in the UMass 22 she picked up and darted over and with McElduff's conversion it was 7-0.

Rugby commentators and coaches often reference the time immediately after scoring as when a team needs to have a good exit strategy. The restart is taken and usually from around the 22 a team attempts to gain territory. Well, the Vassar exit strategy after this score was simple: catch the ball, run with the ball, recycle the ball, run with the ball, and score! Taylor Nunley caught the ball, Lauren Workman and Darrien Jones ran with it, the forwards recycled it and Kayla Lightner scored. Well, in the act of scoring Lightner was tackled high so referee Fontaine Lloyd awarded a penalty try. In the blink of an eye it was 14-0.  The Vassar players had kept matters very simple and this opening spell had been direct, physical and solid defensively.

UMass put numbers into the rucks and both teams struggled to generate good ball but Vassar managed a couple of steals and then when they got in behind the UMass defense was able to recycle ball more quickly. Flanker Sarah Mawhinney plunged over near the post and 19-0 was a good cushion for the team. McElduff's conversion, the easiest of the day, hit the post!

Just 5 minutes later Vassar's Cierra Thomas gathered the ball after a poor pass from McElduff went to ground and is so often the case the defense was caught off guard. Thomas took off and accelerated to the outside. She rounded a couple of defenders and then fended off another before arcing her run toward the goal line. The try scored made it 24-0 as the half concluded and but for a miracle UMass looked done and dusted.

The Brewers turned around and from a scrum right in the middle on the halfway line managed to work the ball around the UMass defense and then a couple of phases later fullback Rachel Elson scampered over to score. A perfect way to start the second half and the lead was now 31-0.

Full credit is due UMass for the forwards kept battling in the scrums and won their own lineout ball. The rucks tended to be slow and that allowed the Vassar defense to get set-up. The visiting backs did manage to offload and get  the ball wide but every time they made a line break the ball carrier was chased down.

The second half was much more attritional and only one more try was scored. Thomas had returned after being off the field and she had another of her dazzling runs.

 From the Vassar perspective the team that finished the game deserves praise as they held off a number of UMass attacks and showed what good defensive players they can be when they are totally committed. 

It tends to be the scorers that get mentioned but in this instance a host of players earned plaudits for doing good rugby things like presenting the ball well in contact, getting low in a ruck and under the opposition, or making a tackle. So hats off to Marron McConnell, Claire Fondrie-Teitler, Yasani Spencer, and Megan de Koning for all that they and their teammates  did to help earn this win.

Team: 15 Rachel Elson 14 Rachel Jones 13 Cierra Thomas 12 Kayla Lightner 11 Abigail Alexander 10 Mary Margaret McElduff 9 Jyen Wong 1 Darienne Jones 2 Ellen Quist 3 Lizzie Bennett 4 Lauren Workman 5 Claire Fondrie-Teitler 6 Sarah Mawhinney 7 Andrea Ramsay 8 Taylor Nunley. Subs: Megan de Koning for Andrea Ramsay, Kaitlin Prado for Lizzie Bennett, Molly Osborn for Abby Alexander, Yasani Spencer for Ellen Quist, Makena Emery for Mary Margaret McElduff, Michelle Urrutia for Cierra Thomas.

Overall record: 12-3-0

Next: Saturday April 2nd, 2016 Vassar College Women versus Fordham University Women at Vassar Farm, kick-off 11:00 am.