Women's Rugby 4/28/2024 Tony Brown, Head Men's and Women's Rugby Coach

Women's Rugby Takes Home Beast of the East Championship

Portsmouth, RI - The Marist College Women came to play! Although this game was in Portsmouth, RI the local battle between these two Poughkeepsie based schools is always intense. Hard running Red Foxes met a Brewers defense that was up to the task but stretched to the limit. Hats off to Vassar for quickly rebuilding their defense and getting good line speed. That alone was not enough and the real kudos goes to those that made the tackles.

Vassar Women - Champions at Beast of the East 2024

Vassar College Women 22 v 20 Marist College Women
Tries: Andie Authers (1), Yasmeen Kassem-Scott (1), Zoe Lynch (1), Ella Maniatis (1).
Cons: Zoe Lynch (1).

This match was a seesaw battle and neither team deserved to lose. The opening quarter was very much Vassar as they played down the slope and dominated territory and possession. But the Brewers didn't get much of a return in the Marist 22 and when the teams turned around at half time it was a slim lead of 10-5.

Marist tackled their hearts out and stayed in touch. Vassar's Andie Authers scored first with a strong run and later in the half, after Marist had slipped through the centers to score, Yasmeen Kassem-Scott went over following a penalty play to give Vassar the narrow lead.

It was somewhat concerning as Vassar had been strong in the scrums, effective in the lineouts and won ruck ball. There wasn't very much wrong with the team shape apart from getting over the whitewash.

Marist had the slope and they kicked deep and it was not long before they scored to make it 10-10. Ironically, Vassar looked to have cleared their line with a good penalty kick to touch but the lineout was lost! Also Marist took a ball in the scrum against the head! Momentum was now with Marist but the Vassar players responded well and drove upfield, quite literally, and following a couple of penalties it was Zoe Lynch who darted over for a score. At 17-10 one might have felt that the sting had been taken out of the Marist uprising.

Marist was finding some success as Vassar tacklers tired and the collisions were lost. Then some penalties allowed Marist to get in behind and they scored to make it 15-17. The slender Vassar lead looked vulnerable again.

A break out of their own half saw Marist go up 20-17 and there was not much time remaining for the Brewers. Vassar rang the changes and a number of players came into the match from the bench. It was critical the fresh legs provide energy and urgency to the cause. Emma Niehaus had a couple of strong runs. Kiki Takata was hitting rucks and Sam Tang scrummaged well. But it was the last substitute Ella Maniatis who popped up at the right moment to score and give Vassar a win 22-20.

Vassar's Mette McKinney and Maddie Sumrow were titanic with their tackles. While try scorers always get their names on the scoresheet those moments are made possible and victories are earned with great moments in defense.

It wasn't all over after Maniatis' try. Vassar caught the restart and went through some phases to run down the clock but Marist turned the ball over! Vassar had to defend yet again and defend they did eventually stealing the ball back and as time expired Zoe Lynch kicked the ball off the field.

A fitting final with the result in question to the very last seconds!

Team: 15 Jude Robinson 14 Leah Dourmashkin 13 Maggie Nealis 12 Maddie Sumrow 11 Danny White 10 Sabine Weil 9 Zoe Lynch 1 Eleanor Jacoby 2 Julie Geller 3 Andie Authers 4 Grace Skakel 5 Julia Wolff 6 Mette McKinney 7 Tate Wagner 8 Yasmeen Kassem-Scott.
Subs: Emma Niehaus for Tate Wagner, Kiki Takata for Julia Wolff, Sam Tang for Andie Authers, Ella Maniatis for Jude Robinson, Kaitlyn Sostre, Foster Schrader, Lola Yost, Freya Braiker, AC Smith, Ina Zaslavsky, Nadya LaMarr, Becca Middlen, Lydia Hong & Maritza Flores.

Overall record 2023-24: Played 21, Won 17, Lost 4.

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Players Mentioned

Andie Authers: Junior

Julie Geller: Senior

Yasmeen Kassem-Scott: Sophomore

Zoe Lynch: Junior

Mette McKinney: Sophomore

Jude Robinson: Sophomore

Grace Skakel: Senior

Matty Sumrow: Sophomore

Danny White: Junior

Julia Wolff: Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Andie Authers
: Junior

Julie Geller
: Senior

Yasmeen Kassem-Scott
: Sophomore

Zoe Lynch
: Junior

Mette McKinney
: Sophomore

Jude Robinson
: Sophomore

Grace Skakel
: Senior

Matty Sumrow
: Sophomore

Danny White
: Junior

Julia Wolff
: Sophomore

Vassar College Athletics

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned