POUGHKEEPSIE, NY - Vassar College hosted the Tri-State Conference Men's 7-a-side Championship with both fields at the Farm busy all day. The weather forecast was foreboding to say the least, as rain followed by thunder and lightning was predicted. The day did indeed start out wet and blustery but after the first couple of rounds of group play the rain stopped and later was followed by glorious sunshine.

All in all it was a really positive experience for all the teams with over 200 students taking the field and competing. Sixteen teams divided into 4 groups of 4 battled for the title of Tri-State 7s Champions 2023 and in the end it was a Mid-Hudson Valley school that prevailed.

Saturday April 1, 2023 at 10:00 am
Vassar College 10 v 0 Seton Hall University
Tries: Carl Aller (1) & Rowan Roshong (1).

The opening game of the day saw the Brewers take on the Pirates on field 2 and to be blunt Vassar never looked like being bested. In fact flyhalf Carl Aller got on the scoresheet first to put Vassar ahead 5-0 and that seemed to settle the nerves. The conditions were tricky and the ball at times was like a bar of soap but Vassar managed to show some real purpose and direction.

Vassar captain Rowan Roshong got Vassar's second try and at 10-0 the Brewers looked comfortable. Vassar did squander two clear cut tries, when first Eli Schair-Rigoletti and then Kiran Mullen dropped simple passes with no defenders left to beat! A 10-0 final scoreline somewhat flattered Seton Hall but it was just the first of 3 group games that each team would play so all were still in the mix.

Team: 1 Hector Contreras 2 Kaiden Tocher 3 Rowan Roshong 9 Bryce DiNardo 10 Carl Aller 12 Eli Schair-Rigoletti 14 Kiran Mullen. Subs: Ezra Potts, Jack O'Brien, Jack Gibberd, Dimitrios Tzepos, Alex Papasavas.

Saturday April 1, 2023 at 11:20 am
Vassar College 0 v 34 Marist College

If game one bore witness to Vassar's attacking style then game 2 was a totally different affair. Right from the start the Marist team showed why they were the number 1 seed. Pinpoint accurate kicking allied to a fierce physical approach led to turnovers and Vassar never really mounted any serious attacks. At a couple of scrums Vassar was shunted back and what possession that was gained was quickly pressurized. To the Brewers credit everyone kept trying but consistently playing defense and catch-up was a recipe for more errors!

In the second half the scrum did stabilize but any ball Vassar won was deep in their own 22 and the Brewers could not break out.

Team: 1 Jack O'Brien 2 Kaiden Tocher 3 Rowan Roshong 9 Bryce DiNardo 10 Carl Aller 12 Eli Schair-Rigoletti 14 Ezra Potts. Subs: Hector Contreras, Kiran Mullen, Jack Gibberd, Dimitrios Tzepos, Alex Papasavas.

Saturday April 1, 2023 at 12:40 pm
Vassar College 36 v 0 Molloy College
Tries: Bryce DiNardo (3) & Carl Aller (3).
Cons: Carl Aller (2) & Alex Papasavas (1).

The last game for Vassar in Group A was against former Tri-State 7s Champions Molloy College and Vassar needed a win to advance to the quarterfinals. Marist looked to have sewn up the first spot in Group A but second place would mean a playoff game against the winner of Group B.

Vassar started well and was very direct. The Molloy players were given no time to settle on the ball and as the saying goes, you reap what you sow. Vassar had ample possession and each time a restart was taken Molloy found no space. Bryce DiNardo at scrumhalf was outstanding and would have been a unanimous All-Tournament selection as he tackled, jackaled and got turnovers, scored tries and was akin to the energizer bunny throughout the game and tournament. His halfback partner Carl Aller was quick to pounce and ran with pace and authority, also collecting three tries. It was very satisfying to see Vassar imposing their game especially after their confidence had been shaken in the previous match.

Team: 1 Dimitrios Tzepos 2 Kaiden Tocher 3 Jack O'Brien 9 Bryce DiNardo 10 Carl Aller 12 Rowan Roshong 14 Kiran Mullen. Subs: Hector Contreras, Tyler Harber, Jack Gibberd, Ezra Potts, Alex Papasavas.

At the conclusion of Group play Vassar was 2-1-0, had scored 46 points and conceded 34 earning 1 bonus point for a tally of 7 points. The Brewers would face undefeated Fairfield University, the winners of Group B in a single elimination quarterfinal match-up.

Tri-State Conference 7s Championship Quarterfinal Game
Saturday April 1, 2023 at 2:20 pm
Vassar College 15 v 14 Fairfield University
Tries: Bryce DiNardo (1), Jack O'Brien (1) & Carl Aller (1).

The journey that this young squad has taken this academic year has been difficult. In the Fall 15s season, having to play the two strongest teams so early put a dent in the playoff hopes as losses mounted. The spring started with 2 losses in Spain playing 15s and a close loss to Cornell upon the team's return. Why all this background one might ask? Well, these lads have shown real perseverance and determination to get better so when the team fell behind 7-0 then 14-5 against a speedy Fairfield University outfit one might have been forgiven for thinking the game was over.

But such was not the case and after halftime trailing 5-14 the Brewers kept attacking with and without the ball. The defensive pressure allied to a dogged commitment from all led to a try and it was 10-14. Then a deserved third try made it 15-14 and Vassar could see light at the end of the tunnel. But a deep kickoff led to Fairfield being awarded a free kick at the halfway line and if the visitors could use this final possession to score they would clinch victory. Fairfield moved the ball a couple of passes and then a player opted to grub kick through. Vassar plays a sweeper system but alas the Brewers were caught napping and there was no sweeper. It looked as if all had been for naught! But Kaiden Tocher, who never knows when he is beaten, raced back and made a try saving tackle and the Fairfield player knocked the ball on! Game over! The final score of 15-14 meant that Vassar would advance to the semifinal and meet Marist College again.

Team: 1 Rowan Roshong 2 Kaiden Tocher 3 Hector Contreras 9 Bryce DiNardo 10 Carl Aller 12 Eli Schair-Rigoletti 14 Kiran Mullen. Subs: Jack O'Brien, Dimitrios Tzepos, Jack Gibberd, Ezra Potts, Alex Papasavas.

Saturday April 1, 2023 at 3:20 pm
Tri-State Conference 7s Championship Semifinal Game
Vassar College 5 v 28 Marist College
Tries: Carl Aller (1).

Vassar earned a good measure of respect for this performance and after 9 minutes of the 14 the score was Vassar 5 and Marist 7. That was a fair reflection of the play as Vassar had managed to keep the ball for periods and defended stoutly. Territorially, Vassar had been superior but one needs to turn possession and territory into points to earn wins. So certainly one has to applaud the defensive sets from Marist and like with every other opponent they faced their defense was miserly!

Having absorbed the Vassar pressure and had the one major breakaway in the first half the halftime score was 7-0 to Marist and the hosts Vassar needed to get on the scoresheet first in this second period. The Brewers did just that as Carl Aller slipped between two defenders following a tap penalty and it was 5-7 with everything to play for.

The Cinderella tale took a turn as turnovers crept into the Vassar game and the Red Foxes needed no further invitation to the goal line.

The 5-7 scoreline became 14, then 21, then 28. However, those 3 tries in the last 5 minutes did not diminish the Vassar performance at all. Marist are a good team, well drilled, with plenty of speed and an outside half with a good rugby IQ. Over the course of 6 games Marist only conceded 4 tries. The Vassar players had shown improvement in attack and plenty of purposeful spirit, not to mention better defense. Numerous coaches from other teams commented on the fact that Vassar had emerged from Group A as a quarterfinalist, earned a quarterfinal win and been tough opponents in the semifinal.

Marist went on to win the Championship going unbeaten on the day. Vassar only lost to Marist and had pipped the Group B winner en route to that semifinal. These young men are to be commended for representing the college so well and they are a credit to the college.

Team: 1 Hector Contreras 2 Kaiden Tocher 3 Alex Papasavas 9 Bryce DiNardo 10 Carl Aller 12 Eli Schair-Rigoletti 14 Jack O'Brien. Subs: Kiran Mullen, Dimitrios Tzepos, Jack Gibberd, Ezra Potts, Rowan Roshong.

Special mention goes out to Vassar Rugby men Justin Lederer, Phil Knowlton and Zhongija Hou for their assistance to SUNY-Oneonta and Bard - way to represent!

Footnote
Many, many thanks to all the VC Rugby Players that helped out at the Tournament today - setting up the fields, running errands, coordinating parking, filming, selling conference T-shirts, collecting scores, working with the referees, picking up trash, carrying water and helping to break down the fields. Numerous coaches, players and spectators commented on how the event ran smoothly and that is down to all of you. (Louise Ambler, Sam Tang, Maddie Sumrow, Nina Fishman, Julie Geller, Sophia Bailey, Mette McKinney, Zoe Lynch, Kasey Drake, Yasmeen Kassem-Scott, Jack Gibberd, Tyler Harber and others whom I may have not mentioned. Also a big thank you to Vassar ATC Bryan Hinchliffe who tended to the needs of the many and the day went off without any serious injuries. Last, but not least, our thanks to the Rugby Referees Society of New York (RRSNY) officials Jon Morgan, Ian Hughson, Charlie Liu Guillotin, Brad Lawrence, Bradley Browne and Corey Amundson without whom we could not play the game we all love.