POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - It seems that Mother Nature herself cannot stop the Vassar Women winning! Last year a foot of snow fell prior to the playoffs and it took a Herculean effort from the Athletics Facilities staff based at Prentiss to clear the fields and Vassar went on the win the Northeast Region and advance to the Final 4. This year, while Saturday was picture perfect, the championship games on Sunday at Vassar Farm were perilously close to being cancelled such was the amount of water on the field after torrential rain fell all Saturday night. In the end Vassar had earned their sixth trip to the Final 4 and a chance to defend their National title. Mother Nature had swung and missed again!

Vassar College Women 33 v 7 Bryant University Women
Tries: Emma Manzella (1), Emily Howell (1), Meg Martin (1), Molly Lynch (1) & Kira Nolan (1).
Cons: Aislinn Vences-Dimas (3) & Meg Martin (1).

There was no doubting the focus of the Vassar team for this Regional Final. The team was reminded that having 12 consecutive wins counts for nothing as a loss would mean the end of the season. The Brewers have been here before and in fact this time last year it was also the same opponent, the Bryant University Bulldogs. The visitors knew the task at hand, were themselves undefeated and were keen for redemption.

Vassar kicked-off and immediately stopped a number of attacks with good defense. The tricky wet conditions led to some handling errors from the Bulldogs and the Vassar pressure was also a contributing factor. It was an errant pass that gave Vassar her first score as Emma Manzella was gifted the ball and she sprinted in from about 35 yards crossing under the posts. Aislinn Vences-Dimas made no mistake with the conversion.

Bryant came storming back and after a Vassar turnover the Bulldogs had a long spell of possession. However, while they moved the ball from side to side and made some forward progress the ball was turned over and Emily Howell zipped away from about the halfway line to score under the sticks again. The score was 14-0 but the psychological blow was even more weighty. Bryant had attacked, going through multiple phases, holding the ball for a good period of time and the result was a Vassar try!

Vassar switched up their attack and gaps began to appear in the Bryant defense. Meg Martin gleefully went through just such a gap and it was 19-0 to the Brewers.
That was how the half finished and the main concern for the Vassar team was the bitter cold. In fact, Vassar wing Julia Busby, was substituted since she was turning blue despite the generous gift of Professor Kennett's winter coat! Kira Nolan took the field and did not put a foot wrong in the second 40 minutes.

Vassar's 4th try came after some good work by the forwards that caused the Bryant defense to become very narrow. The ball was swung wide and Molly Lynch had ocean's of room to run the ball in. The score being 26-0 about 15 minutes into the second half probably gave rise to some complacency from the Brewers especially since Bryant was finding it difficult to get out of their own half. A Bryant player picked up at a ruck and much like Howell had done earlier for Vassar she sprinted in for a try. It was a glimmer of hope that was quickly squashed as Vassar scrumhalf Mia Walsh alertly tapped and went over for try number 5.

The Vassar Women leapt for joy at the end and the cheers from the parents, fellow students, faculty, alumnae/i and friends was warming on this oh so bone chilling November afternoon.

So now it is on to North Carolina and the Final 4, with the team hoping to leave on Thursday December 5th taking the 15 hour drive to Matthews, the same venue as last year.

Division II
Final 4
Vassar will face the Colorado School of Mines while Winona State University take on the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. The winners will face off for the national title on Sunday December 8, 2019.

A huge thank you is due to the staff that helped this weekend, in particular Assistant AD Michael Callahan who covered the Prentiss facility for two busy days. Also ATC Tabby Santiago who assisted our Vassar students continually while also covering visiting teams. In addition Katie Dyke of USA Rugby worked tirelessly coordinating events. The Vassar men's rugby team as well as the women's team fulfilled duties that helped the championship run smoothly. The Rugby Referees Society of New York (RRSNY) provided officials including ARs and a 4th official that added to the quality of the event. Finally, a word of thanks to Vassar Alum, Charlie Williams '80, who provided warm cider and has been the loyalist of supporters, not just on this weekend but since his freshman year at Vassar! Many thanks to all.
 
Team: 15 Molly Lynch 14 Julia Busby 13 Alexa Mousley 12 Caroline James  11 Emma Manzella 10 Aislinn Vences-Dimas 9 Mia Walsh 1 Meg Martin 2 Charlotte Benoit 3 Kaira Smith 4 Sophia Blush 5 Maddie Crump 6 Kayla Vasquez 7 Emily Howell 8 Halle Hutchinson.

Subs: Kira Nolan for Julia Busby, Yuming Ren for Sophia Blush, Marie Claire Cicenia for Aislinn Vences-Dimas.

Next: Saturday & Sunday December 7 & 8, 2019 at the USA Rugby National Fall Championship Final 4 at the Mecklenburg County Sportsplex, 1505 Tank Town Road, Matthews, NC 28105

Overall record: 13-0-0

USA Rugby National Fall Championships 2019
Women's Division I & II 
East, Northeast & Mid-Atlantic Regional Playoffs
at Vassar College

Div. I - East Region
Saturday November 23, 2019  

University of Connecticut Women 67 v 5 University of Pittsburgh Women
U.S. Naval Academy Women 45 v 22 Davenport University Women
Sunday November 24, 2019
U.S. Naval Academy Women 17 v 10 University of Connecticut Women  

Davenport University Women 42 v 7 University of Pittsburgh Women
East Region Champion: U.S. Naval Academy Women

Div. II - Northeast Region
Saturday November 23, 2019
Vassar College Women 51 v 14 Colby College Women
Bryant University Women 29 v 17 SUNY-Cortland Women
Sunday November 24, 2019  
Vassar College Women 33 v 7 Bryant University Women
SUNY-Cortland Women 12 v 0 Colby College Women (Match abandoned - lightning)
Northeast Region Champion: Vassar College Women

Div. II - Mid-Atlantic Region
Saturday November 23, 2019
Bloomsburg University Women 40 v 52 University of Hartford Women
U.S. Coast Guard Academy Women 53 v 7 Temple University Women
Sunday November 24, 2019

U.S, Coast Guard Academy Women 24 v 10 University of Hartford Women
Bloomsburg University Women 48 v 12 Temple Women
Mid-Atlantic Champion: U.S. Coast Guard Academy Women

Division I Final
U.S. Air Force Academy v U.S. Naval Academy

For more information go to https://www.therugbybreakdown.com/post/college-fall-finals-set