For Immediate Release
 
College Rugby
 
Poughkeepsie, NY
Saturday April 21, 2018
 
Brewers Show Good Shape In Final Victory
First things first – Vassar took on the University at Albany but it was not the visitors first team. The usual Albany starters were engaged elsewhere but the Great Danes agreed to send a team down to play the Vassar Men and it was a mix of JV players and rookies. So, the expectation was that the Brewers would earn a win but Albany is a big school with plenty of good athletes and they always know how to tackle.
 
Vassar College Men 65 v 15 University at Albany XV 
Tries: George Sheppard (1), Louie Brown (1), Dale Lord (1), James Christensen (1), Norman Kuang (2), Nick Olkovsky (1), Evan Roberts (1), Rob Eder (1), Kaden Wood (1), Levi Tuck (1).
Cons: George Sheppard (5). 


There is always a danger when playing an opponent who is not starting their best lineup that over-confidence will lead to poor decisions. The key for the Vassar Men was to impose their game, be physical and play at a good tempo. Not so fast as to be hurried but with a deliberate urgency and purpose sticking to their systems. Hats off to the team for doing just that in the opening 15 minutes and taking the steam out of a robust athletic opponent.
 
Vassar scrumhalf Norman Kuang was like an Iditarod musher driving the Vassar forwards like sled dogs as they worked up the field. He collected a try in each half and they were well deserved for he regularly sniped around the fringes and took some heavy hits.
 
As has become quite the norm for Vassar it was the captain George Sheppard who scored first as he tapped and backed himself from close to the Albany line. He also added 10 points from the kicking tee having assumed the goal kicking duties this week.
 
The Vassar forwards really did a number on the Albany pack. Time and again quick ball was won at the breakdown and either the forwards themselves picked, ran wide or ball was delivered to the backs. Dale Lord rumbled over the line for try number 3 obviously motivated by the fact that his front row companion Louie Brown had gotten the second score. Loosehead, Mike Cardenas may not have scored a try but he made some big line breaks and although perhaps not as quick as Louie Brown in the open field he was still a handful to bring down.
 
The Vassar backs were without flyhalf Nate Cuson and inside center Joe Simon so it was a first run out of the year for the 10-12-13 combination of Nick Olkovsky, Evan Roberts and James Christensen. Given good ball they looked comfortable and all three scored tries as if to confirm their effectiveness. The darting, change of direction, style of Roberts was complimented by the long striding speedster Christensen.
 
At the half it was 36-0 and really the Vassar defense had only been tested a few times as Albany struggled to get possession. When they did it was often under pressure and they resorted to kicking the ball away into the grateful arms of the Vassar back three. Number 15, fullback, Jack Kenney had a good outing overall and looks a dangerous threat with the ball in hand. He did juggle a couple of high kicks but given this was his first full start at the position he did admirably.
 
It was also good to see Ryan Chan back to his old stubborn self. He tackled and ran with authority staking a claim to a starting slot next fall.
 
As Albany fell further behind even bigger gaps opened up and although they did manage 3 tries in the second half Vassar countered with 5 of their own. Logan Ragsdale had one of his best games running hard off the fringes meanwhile both Kaden Wood and Rob Eder scored and had solid games. Vassar flanker Chris Duncan, oh he of the dancing feet and twinkle toes, was all over the field skipping between defenders.
 
However, like all good stories the best was saved until last. Try number 11 bore witness to replacement hooker Levi Tuck getting over the whitewash. He jumped for joy and brought his knees to his chest and all were reminded of why it is we play this game!
 
The Vassar Men finish the year at 14-4-0 with just the TRI-STATE CONFERENCE 7s next Sunday and then the Alumni game on May 5^th to come.

Team: 15 Jack Kenney 14 Ryan Chang 13 James Christensen, 12 Evan Roberts, 11 Jeff Montoya, 10 Nick Olkovsky, 9 Norman Kuang, 1 Mike Cardenas, 2 Louie Brown, 3 Dale Lord, 4 Logan Ragsdale, 5 George Sheppard, 6 Kaden Wood, 7 Chris Duncan, 8 Rob Eder. Subs: Kushin Mukherjee for Kaden Wood,  Ali Sadek for Mike Cardenas, Levi Tuck for Louie Brown, Roydell Morris for Jeff Montoya.