POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Vassar College Women's Rugby team opened up the home slate of the Spring 2023 season with a resounding 36-5 victory over the visiting Stony Brook Seawolves in the cold and rainy conditions at the Farm.

Vassar College Women 36 v 5 Stony Brook University Women
Tries:  Yazmeen Kassem-Scott (1), Claire Zickl (2), Sophia Bailey (1), Mette McKinney (1), Sarah Winickoff (1).
Cons: Zoe Lynch (3).

The first home game of the Spring 2023 Season was a festive affair despite the awful weather. Playing immediately after the men's game Vassar wasted no time in establishing territorial dominance. In fact the majority of the first 40 minutes was played in the Stony Brook half of the field. Other than a few line breaks from the SBU backs that took them just into the Vassar half it was a case of defend, defend, defend for the Long Island school players.

A couple of kicks to ease the pressure just brought Vassar fullback Claire Zickl into the game and the swift running by the Vassar number 15 resulted in 2 tries! Vassar had opened its account with a try from Number 8 Yasmeen Kassem-Scott who seems to be relishing her role at the base of the scrum. Not only does she run hard but she tackles well. Zoe Lynch had a good opening spell at 9 in the early stages of the contest. But these spring games are all about getting game time and learning how to play and a valuable lesson has been learnt!

In the first half it was good to see Maddie Sumrow and Jamie Marinez gets some ball. Both did well as did Elise Johnson playing her first game since December. Up front the forwards were well led by Julie Geller. Annie Adams did very well in the lineouts securing good possession for the Brewers and the lineouts were driven forward by the strong physical pack.

In the second period Mette McKinney went to Number 8 and Lola Yost looked very comfortable at prop. Andie Authers made some good penetrating runs and Louise Ambler was her reliable best making tackles and running the show.

Sarah Winickoff is learning how to play in the center and while her timing needs to improving, "Wini" more than compensates with determined running. Jude Robinson also got around the defense from fullback and has now more valuable game time in the bank.

A final mention must go to Kasey Drake for the senior played flyhalf, center and then scrumhalf and did not look out of place at any time.

Team: 15 Claire Zickl 14 Jamie Marinez 13 Maddie Sumrow 12 Isabel Rodriguez 11 Elise Johnson 10 Kasey Drake 9 Zoe Lynch 1 Julie Geller 2 Katie Canavan 3 Cora Blackwell 4 Julia Wolff 5 Leila Stark 6 Ariel Birnbaum 7 Annie Adams 8 Yasmeen Kassem-Scott.
Subs: 15 Jude Robinson 14 Jamie Marinez 13 Sarah Winickoff 12 Kasey Drake 11 Sadie Hammarhead 10 Zoe Lynch 9 Sophia Bailey 1 Lola Yost 2 Hannah Thompson 3 Andie Authers 4 Sylvia Martinez 5 Awien Jel 6 Sam Tang 7 Louise Ambler 8 Mette McKinney.

Injured: Claire Dwyer, Hannah Charlson, Ariel Birnbaum, Yael Tuckman & Gillian Ciaccio.

Unavailable: Asia Baker, Danny White, Nina Fishman, Rory Thompson, Foster Schrader, Sarah Boucher-Rowe, Rishi Kulkarni, Georgia Macy, Becca Middlen, Maya Winter, Mariam Toure.

Next: Sunday April 2, 2023 Vassar College Women at the Marist College 7s Tournament, Marist College, North Field, Poughkeepsie, NY