Culpeper, VA - Vassar was without the services of Number 8 Yasmeen Kassem-Scott and outside center Ella Maniatis on account of injuries sustained Saturday in the team's win over the University of New Hampshire. A reshuffle was necessary and into the team stepped Makaela Weldon at center, while up front Nina Fishman came in to play hooker, Emma Niehaus moved to the flank and Tate Wagner shifted from flanker to 8. The team quickly adapted and didn't miss a beat brushing aside a physical and aggressive William & Mary fifteen.

Vassar College Women 40 v 0 College of William & Mary Women
Tries: Sophia Bailey (3), Eleanor Jacoby (1), Jude Robinson (2).
Cons: Zoe Lynch (5).

Vassar kicked-off and immediately pinned the William & Mary team deep in their own half. At the first ruck the ball spilled out the back and the Tribe moved it away 3 passes from the breakdown but was caught behind the gain line. The William & Mary scrumhalf struggled to get the ball away but did so and the flyhalf threw a big miss pass and the receiver was tackled. Vassar counter-rucked, won the ball and then punched forward. W&M conceded a penalty at the breakdown and Vassar's number 9 Sophia Bailey alertly tapped and went scooting the 15 yards to the goal line and a 5-point lead for the Brewers. Zoe Lynch added the extras from directly in front of the posts and it was the near perfect start.

The restart was not caught by a Vassar player and a knock-on put W&M right on the 22. At that scrum Vassar was penalized for pushing early and W&M took the free kick quickly getting on the front foot. But slow ball from a ruck was poorly passed and handled and after a chaotic few passes Vassar regained possession and began to march upfield with the forwards making useful yards. A ruck infringement allowed Sabine Weil to kick for touch and Vassar was back in the W&M half. Weil had a good day kicking for touch and will want to remain consistent for the rest of the season.

Vassar went further ahead following a scrum centerfield just inside the W&M 22. The forwards almost went over in the right corner with Andie Authers just a yard short, then Sam Tang was stopped near the line after Makaela Weldon also came close but the ball was recycled and tighthead prop Eleanor Jacoby went flying through for her first Vassar try. The celebrations were well justified as she toils away tirelessly and her teammates mobbed her.

From the restart W&M players kept conceding penalties at the breakdown. Either the tackler did not release the tackled player, did not roll away or there was no clear release before a jackal attempt. It enabled Vassar to march down the field. Again it was Sophia Bailey who capitalized tapping and going, scorching past defenders to take Vassar's tally to 21-0.

W&M seemed stunned and was just off the pace of the game. But the team rallied and managed a period of continuity started by their Number 8 picking from a scum inside their own 22. She ran strongly and made a good line break that was then followed up with a few rucks won and the ball was advanced into the Vassar half, albeit aided by a couple of penalties.But for all their efforts W&M was stuck in their own half despite a few half breaks and quite a bit of possession for the remainder of the half! However, it is a staggering statistic that in the entire first half W&M only once entered the Vassar 22 and had the ball for just 40 seconds!

A simple set piece play was well finished by Jude Robinson who ran with real confidence throughout the match. In fact, Robinson had earlier opted to pass when they could have cantered over and the pass went forward otherwise they would've had a hat trick by game's end.

The half finished as it had begun with Bailey scoring and Vassar in total control 35-0 having scored five converted tries.

The second half began but what appeared a serious injury to the W&M prop forward as play was suspended. Play was moved to another field with the game resumed with about 28 minutes left to play before a call was made to NCR and a decision to stop play was made. 

Before the game was stopped, Vassar scored one last try to make it 40-0 and it was Jude Robinson who was rewarded for their strong running. Robinson had been a real game influencer when running the ball back from W&M kicks and some outstanding rucking of isolated players.

The stoppage was something of an anticlimax but the result means that the Brewers advance to the NCR Final 4 in Houston, Texas December 7 & 8, 2024.

There are still a couple of weeks to practice and for those with bumps and bruises time to heal. The challenge is, as it was last year, to win two games and bring the title back to campus.

Team: 15 Jude Robinson 14 Zoe Lynch 13 Maddie Sumrow 12 Makaela Weldon 11 Leah Dourmashkin 10 Sabine Weil 9 Sophia Bailey 1 Andie Authers 2 Nina Fishman 3 Eleanor Jacoby 4 Julia Wolff 5 Sam Tang 6 Emma Niehaus 7 Mette McKiney 8 Tate Wagner.
Subs: Nadya LaMarr, AC Smith, Rosie Perkinson, Sarah Towne, Ellie Carr, Gabby Gitau, Sadye Krell, Rahmat Gambari.


Record: 13-0-0.
Conference: 9-0-0.


Next: Saturday & Sunday December 7 & 8, 2024 - National Collegiate Rugby Women's Division II Championship Final 4 at Sabercats Stadium in Houston, TX. Saturday December 7, 2024 versus the U.S. Coast Guard Academy kickoff 4:00 pm