The Rugby Breakdown Recap | FloRugby Recap

Collegiate Rugby
Vassar College Women

Charlotte, NC
December 2, 2018
 
Vassar College Women - National Fall Champions 2018!
There was barely a dry eye among the Vassar squad and supporters when the final whistle was blown. The players on the touchline ran on to the field and hugged their teammates, high fives were exchanged in the stands, and Louie Brown, the men's team captain, jumped for joy in ACDC, (Gordon Commons), along with fellow students and President Bradley! The result was in the books - Vassar College Women 50 versus Winona State University 13. Vassar's first National Team Championship had been earned against the defending National Champions on the biggest stage in the Matthews Sportsplex Stadium in North Carolina. What followed had not even been considered, as a deluge text messages and e-mails from Alumnae/i, family and friends were blowing up everyone's cell phones!
 
Vassar College Women 50 v 13 Winona State University Women
Tries: Kate Sworden (3), Kaitlin Prado (2), Molly Lynch (1), Jennie To (1), Charlotte Benoit (1).
Cons: Aislinn Vences-Dimas (5).
In stark contrast to yesterday in the championship semifinal, the players took the field with no rain falling and the temperature around 70 degrees. It would mean that handling would not be an issue but both teams were pretty sore from playing the previous day. Winona had dispatched the University of Cincinnati 34-7 and Vassar advanced with a 43-26 win over the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
 
Vassar elected to receive the kick-off and immediately ran hard off the fringes but we're well tackled by the Winona defenders. On the first two possessions that were swung to the backs, the ball was dropped and Winona pounced, driving the Brewers back. Then the ball was turned over and after a few phases Vassar conceded a penalty. Perhaps bearing in mind the result last year, Winona opted to kick the points and did so to take a 3-0 lead.
But Vassar replied with an impressive period of multiphase play and marched down the field with prop forward Kaitlin Prado diving over. She had a banner weekend with a number of storming runs proving inspirational for the Brewers.
 
The response from the Winona Black Katts was immediate, as they managed to get around the Vassar defense with some quick passing. So the score stood at 8-5 as neither kicker connected on the conversions.
 
This game was beginning to look as if it might go all the way, nip and tuck, down to the wire as had been the case in last year's Championship game. On that occasion Winona had come from 29-7 down and kicked a penalty to win it 38-36, breaking Brewer hearts.
 
Winona attempted to move the ball out wide while Vassar was content to use their forward pack in tight quarters.
 
Vassar definitely had the edge in terms of time in possession and managed to drive up field into the right hand corner before coming back to inside center Molly Lynch who sliced through for a try. Lynch more than deserved this score for she has been something of a talisman for Vassar all season. She may not have been as prolific a scorer in the mode of a Cierra Thomas but she has been an unflagging ball carrier and tackler. Her try gave Vassar a 10-8 lead.
 
Winona managed to steal a Vassar lineout and shipped the ball along the line to their number 13 who showed good pace to put them back in the lead 13-10.
 
Vassar marched right back as the Winona defenders flung themselves into tackles on the fringes of the rucks. Big hits were the order of the day as the defending champions sort to retain their crown. Despite these ferocious tackles the Vassar forwards maintained their composure and kept recycling the ball.
 
The pressure was partly relieved but then a Vassar ball carrier would slither forward and get closer to the goal line. It was no surprise that prop Kate Sworden scored on a pick as the second half was well into injury time and Vassar led 17-13. This score was very timely for not only did it give the Brewers the lead it also gave them some much needed  belief in knowing what they were doing was effective.
 
The halftime talk was predominantly about the speed of the pick. In the first 40 minutes the Vassar ball carrier had given the Winona defense time to set up and hence some big hits were made. In addition Vassar brought in some fresh legs in the form of substitutes Meg Martin, Catherine Gladstone and Aisha Malik.
 
In the space of 11 minutes Vassar broke the game wide open with 3 tries! In fact, the second half saw the Brewers score 33 unanswered points! 
 
One cannot but be impressed with the Vassar team as they clearly showed discipline and shape.
 
Of course, it is easiest to just list all the try scorers, rather than to recall key moments in the match. But when Winona forced their way inside the Vassar 22 and initiated a drive it would have been a momentum changer. Vassar held the drive and then a knock-on by a Winona forward turned the ball over!
 
The Vassar forwards were now in the ascendency as the picking game kept Winona on the back foot. Prado, Reich and Sworden led the charges. Halftime substitutes Meg Martin and Catherine Gladstone had big runs, while Maddie Crump and all the other forwards contributed and there were some monster clearouts.
 
It was Sworden following a good lineout who scored, then Jennie To and Kaitlin Prado who got on the score sheet early in the second half. To's try courtesy of a dominant 5-meter scrum.
 
The Vassar backs also got in on the action as Lynch and Manzella busted their way over the gain line. It meant front foot ball for Vassar and Winona was constantly having to build their defensive line going backwards.
 
In defense credit is due Julia Busby on the wing and Rebekah Graham at fullback. These two are rookies and they made brave plays falling on the loose ball and making tackles. Caroline James was outstanding as an honorary forward in the picking game.
 
So Winona, starved of the ball and having to make multiple tackles, was finding it hard to get back into the game.
 
Vassar's flyhalf, Aislinn Vences-Dimas, had a good day both distributing and from the kicking tee. She connected on 5 of 8 conversions and apart from those two early drops handled well.
 
A final try from Charlotte Benoit was icing on the cake for she had played in last year's final yet injury had restricted her games this fall.
 
A team does not win a National title without a collective effort from the squad. Players who did not get to play this weekend made sacrifices and helped along the way as we sort to improve. A huge thank you is due to all and that includes some members of the men's team who helped out at practices.
 
On Saturday night Charlie Williams, Class of '80 representing Michael Cesta '83 hosted a team dinner. In addition to the squad there were parents, alumnae/i, family and friends, for a total of about 70 people. Thank you Michael and all the Vassar Rugby extended family for your love and support.
 
Team: 15 Rebekah Graham 14 Caroline James 13 Emma Manzella 12 Molly Lynch 11 Julia Busby 10 Aislinn Vences-Dimas 9 Jennie To 1 Kate Sworden 2 Marron McConnell 3 Kaitlin Prado 4 Miranda Scarlata 5 Maddie Crump 6 Halle Hutchinson 7 Danielle Kaminski 8 Oshana Reich. 
Subs: Meg Martin for Marron McConnell, Aisha Malik for Halle Hutchinson, Catherine Gladstone for Miranda Scarlata, Kayla Vasquez for Aisha Malik, Charlotte Benoit for Kaitlin Prado, Kira Nolan for Rebekah Graham.
Squad: Sophia Blush, Kaira Smith, Makena Emery, Emily Howell, Yuming Ren, Morgan Hayman, Eva Gomez, Yume Murphy, Nyala Jackson, Kristen Koenig, Jessica Liu, Meredith Leder, Claudia Lasch, Victoria Wilk, Jamelia Watson, Ilona Neale and Mia Walsh.