WEST ORANGE, N.J. - The Vassar College Men's Rugby team earned its first victory of the season 40-11 over the Seton Hall Pirates on Sunday afternoon. Vassar scored six tries en route to a conference win and with it a much needed affirmation of what this team has been striving to do each week.
Vassar came out of the starting blocks with a real sense of purpose. Playing on the turf football field at the Seton Hall Preparatory School made for a dry firm footing and most prominent for the Brewers was
Bryce DiNardo. His carries, though a little lateral, showed that he had good pace and was a threat to the Seton Hall defense. The Vassar forwards hit the early rucks and produced some continuity early on.
DiNardo went over for Vassar's first try and it was nothing less than he and the team deserved. But Seton Hall battled back into the contest and scored a try from close quarters, later adding a penalty goal so at the half it was 8-5 to the Pirates.
The Vassar scrum had not been troubled, the backs had gotten over the gain line and the team had set up well defensively. When Vassar had the ball it was evident that opportunities could be created as all the Vassar pack punched forward when carrying the ball.
In the second half what had been a three point deficit soon became 12-8 and then 19-8 as two tries were scored in quick succession. Replacement
Carl Aller burst through and beat a couple of defenders and Vassar's ledger looked a lot better.
To be fair, it was the work of the forwards that allowed for these scores as the Seton hall defensive line was not set up. After Aller's brace, Dinardo got back in the limelight and 26-8 must have looked like a mountain to climb for Seton Hall.
Vassar's Kaiden Toucher had a good game, though he will be haunted by one dropped ball that should have been a try.
Tyler Eberts showed great determination playing with a very sore shoulder and the front 5 as a whole stuck to doing the nitty gritty work to secure possession.
Aller was put away again but the final Vassar try was scored by
Eli Schair-Rigoletti as he sliced through to score near the posts.
Next weekend the Brewers host Montclair State University Men for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff at the Farm.
Tries: Bryce DiNardo (2) Carl Aller (3) & Eli Schair-Rigoletti (1)
Cons: Alex Papasavas (5)
Team: 15 Nigel Trenh 14 Phil Knowlton 13 Eli Schair-Rigoletti 12 Rowan Roshong 11 Olly Skeet-Browning 10 Adam Vazquez 9 Bryce DiNardo 1 Benson Cao 2 Tyler Eberts 3 Justin Lederer 4 Alex Papasavas 5 Dimitrios Tzepos 6 Kaiden Toucher 7 Zhougjia Hou 8 Jack O'Brien. Subs: Carl Aller for Rowan Roshong.
