Poughkeepsie, N.Y. - The United States Coast Guard Academy defeated the Colorado School of Mines in a tight contest yesterday, 20-19, and took the field at 10:00 am on Sunday, facing Vassar College. The latter had beaten Colby College on Saturday 53-5, and so the stage was set for what has become a fierce northeast playoff rivalry.

Vassar College Women 36 v 20 U.S. Coast Guard Academy Women
Tries: Emily Howell (4), Sophia Florida (1), Julia Busby (1).
Cons: Marie Claire Cicenia (3).

In December 2019, Coast Guard had beaten Vassar at the Final 4 in the 3rd/4th place playoff consolation game 39-27 and must have felt confident entering today's contest given the win over Colorado Mines. Vassar has had an edge in the playoff battles with four victories before that loss, but all the games were highly competitive.

But matters started quite well, Vassar taking the opening kick-off and going through multiple phases before a forward pass gave the Academy a scrum and the put-in. The Bears spun the ball wide to the left and then brought it back infield, where MC Cicenia made a tackle but was slow to roll away, incurring a penalty. This proved the first of a host of penalties that allowed the Coast Guard to get on the front foot. The Academy injected tempo into the game with quick taps and forced more infringements. Vassar was on her heels, and over the next 20 minutes, it looked like Coast Guard might run away with a win as they collected three tries and led 15-0.

It didn't get any better for the home team as, after the second try, fullback Vivika Sheppard was sin-binned, and Vassar had to play with 14 for 10 minutes. Coast Guard added to their tally, and with over a quarter of the match played, Vassar was stunned. The Vassar forwards tended to set up a defensive line rather than compete, which played right into the visitor's hands. More possession and potentially more go-forward ball.

But to their credit, the team dug deep and finally got some ball and went through multiple phases, and Number 8 Emily Howell went over in the right-hand corner from close range. To have scored with a player off the field and already down by three tries planted the seed of belief in the Vassar players.

It was also fair to say that Coast Guard had dominated possession but not converted it into territory save for when penalty kicks had been taken quickly. The Vassar back division defense had looked good, and on many possessions, Coast Guard had gone laterally or back.

Immediately after the first Vassar try, Sheppard came back onto the field and had a storming run down the left touchline. The speedy and robust fullback was keen to make up for her absence, and right in front of the home, supporters intelligently left the ball in play before being tackled out. Vassar kept the pressure on, and a penalty led to a lineout and then a Vassar drive. Vassar's lineout functioned well, and Louise Ambler had another stellar day securing possession. Vassar was growing into the game but was still allowing Coast Guard too much control. Players were guilty of trying to jackal the ball too often rather than counter ruck. But after a series of rucks and then a penalty against Coast Guard, it was that Number 8 again, Howell, who went over to make it 15-10, then Marie Claire Cicenia slotted the conversion, and it was game on at 15-12.

Vassar kicked off the second 40 and immediately turned the territory into points. Emily Howell picked up her third try after a series of close-range attempts, and with Cicenia on the song with her foot, it was a 19-15 lead. Coming out of the break, there was a real focus and desire to work for each other and secure possession, knowing that a victory could be earned. The Coast Guard beefed up their scrummaging, and there was also urgency on their side, but the game momentum shifted significantly with that 4-point lead.

Emily Howell scored Vassar's fourth try, and it was Howell 20 v Coast Guard 15! But it was not a one-person show. The Vassar forwards now had the upper hand and were winning more balls. The Vassar backs continued to swarm like a plague of locusts and kept to their responsibilities despite being tired and sore.

As usual, both teams had given everything, and gaps were starting to open up in the defense. It all came down to which team had the ball and was able to exploit those opportunities. A vigorous assault on the Coast Guard 22 led to Sophia Florida getting in for a score, and 24 became 31 with Cicenia's kick, and with 15-plus minutes on the clock, it seemed a mountain to climb for the Bears.

The second half was a real triumph for the Vassar Brewers as they not only took the lead but then stretched it out to a 16 point difference. The Academy rallied and scored a good try late on. Still, then Vassar's scrumhalf Julia Busby, who is like the energizer bunny and rarely puts a foot wrong, achieved an excellent try diving low for the corner to make sure Vassar had the last word.

Vassar gets to finish the season facing Temple University in the ACRA Fall Championship game to be played at the Sportsplex in Matthews, North Carolina, on Saturday, December 4, 2021. Full details to follow.

Vassar College Women 2021-22: 
Team v USCG Academy

15 Vivika Sheppard 14 Zoe Lynch 13 Lauren Thompson 12 Hannah Charlson 11 Kasey Drake 10 Marie Claire Cicenia 9 Julia Busby 1 Sophia Florida 2 Hannah Thompson 3 Asia Baker 4 Louise Ambler 5 Grace Skakel 6 Lauren Showalter 7 Halle Hutchinson 8 Emily Howell. 
Subs: 17 Claire Zickl for 2 Hannah Thompson, 16 Jamie Marinez, 18 Julia Reigrut, 19 Andie Authers, 20 Julie Geller, 21 Sophia Tang, 22 Katie Canavan, 23 Isabel Snyder. Peyton Wilder, Lucy Sinclair, Lydia Yu, Brittany Andrade, Dariana Serrano, Audrey Ehrhardt.
Injured: Kira Nolan, Mia Walsh, Claire Dwyer, Maeve Smith, Gillian Ciaccio. 

Vassar College Women overall record: 10-1

Next: Saturday, December 4, 2021, at the ACRA Fall Championship Game in Matthews, NC