Georgetown, DE -  Two years ago in 2024 Vassar played Coastal Carolina in a tense close match emerging winners by 17-15. Then the Brewers advanced from the round of 16 to the quarterfinals. That team was full of first year students in the back division and today those players had about 40 more games and the practices behind those games under their belt. Coastal ran into a buzzsaw and Vassar scored 7 tries in the first 40 minutes to take a commanding lead of 39-0. This time it was a quarterfinal game and a trip to the Final 4 was at stake.

Vassar College Women 66  v  0 Coastal Carolina University Women
Tries: Sarah Towne (2), Sophia Bailey (3), Matty Sumrow (1), Emma Niehaus (2), Jude Robinson (4).
Cons: Sarah Towne (3).

Yesterday, Vassar lost a couple of starters to injuries so the pack was shuffled as Gus Pointer Mace came into the front row, Makaela Weldon went into the backrow, Julia Wolff moved into lock and Sarah Towne went to Number 8. The only change in the backs was Rosie Perkinson started on the wing and Matty Sumrow went to 12. 

Coastal Carolina had pace and power in the centers with both their 12 and 13 having impressive games against the College of William & Mary.Vassar was focused on maintaining possession and closing down the Coastal attack when they attempted to go wide. 

The Brewers got off to the perfect start when the kickoff was knocked on, advantage was played and Sophia Bailey gladly gathered the ball and raced away upfield. Literally seconds later following a ruck Sarah Towne dived over so after just 48 seconds it was 5-0. 

The Brewers had decided that despite the windy conditions they would move the ball wide and they did a good job. But Coastal fell off some tackles and gaps were opening up. Matty Sumrow found a good seam and emphatically grounded the ball for Vassar's second try. The gusting wind made goal kicking something of a lottery and Sarah Towne missed again but the lead was now 10-0.

Coastal Carolina just couldn't get any possession and Vassar was straight back to script.Towne was once again on hand at the set piece and she dived over to make it 17-0 as she also converted. her try.

The Vassar pack was able to dictate matters and some good close support enabled hooker Emma Niehaus to score Vassar's 4th try. One could sense the confidence growing among the Vassar players that this game was there for the taking. On the other side the Coastal players were clearly stunned by being so much behind so quickly.

There were 2 major moments in that first half that considerably helped the Vassar cause. First, Vassar fullback Jude Robinson hustled back to collect a kick and on the run back they were about to be tackled but lowered their body height and bulldozed through the tackler. The crowd heard the collision and let out an  instantaneous "Oooo!" The Coastal player was leveled! Then, not long after that, Emma Niehaus carried the ball forward into contact and sent her would-be tackler flying backwards.

Twenty-two points soon became 29 when flanker Mette McKinney went over. McKinney had a stellar match getting set up defensively, making some tackles and dominating the lineouts. She won Vassar ball and stole Coastal possession and it was fitting that the 5th try was hers on the scoresheet.

The Vassar forwards were strong in the scrums and monopolized possession so not only did Coastal struggle to have any sort of platform from which to attack but the Vassar backs were on song.

Vassar's flyhalf Sabine Weil, the conductor, was able to put players into space and the result was a couple of tries for Jude Robinson. The Vassar fullback scored 4 on the day but one of the two that rounded off the first half was special in that the team had created the opportunity through multiple phases. The other try was perhaps fortuitous as the ball looked to have been knocked on when possession was gathered. In any event at the half it was 39-0 and Coastal had barely fired a shot.

A five try second half and a goal line stand that kept the scoresheet clean was a fair return for Vassar's efforts. Bailey scampered around the field and only made one poor decision when she chose to run laterally but this was a very good performance from the Vassar 9.

Really there are plaudits for all the team and indeed the entire squad. Preparation is key to success and specific preparation done at a high level will produce results. Players that have not played in this postseason or those that have had just minutes of game time have worked at practice to facilitate improvement.

Congratulations to all the squad - Fall 2025 Conference Champions and National Collegiate Rugby South Region Champions. The Brewers will head to the Final 4 this December in Houston, Texas and compete for the NCR title.

Team: 15 Jude Robinson 14 Rosie Perkinson 13 Ella Maniatis 12 Matty Sumrow 11 Leah Dourmashkin 10 Sabine Weil 9 Sophia Bailey 1 Cae Bardsley-Cutler 2 Emma Niehaus 3 Gus Pointer Mace 4 Tate Wagner 5 Julia Wolff 6 Mette McKinney 7 Makaela Weldon 8 Sarah Towne
Subs: Rahmat Gambari for Matty Sumrow, Annika Szturma for Sophia Bailey, Ellie Carr for Tate Wagner, Gabby Gitau for Julia Wolff, Ava Rowland, Chloe Ellis, Dea Edwards & Sylvie Lipskar.

2025-26 Record: 11-0-0.

Next: To be announced.
National Collegiate Rugby
Fall XVs Championship

NCR Women's Division II Championship

Sunday November 16, 2025
Quarterfinals
US Coast Guard Academy 33 v 24 Fairfield University
Vassar College 66 v 0 Coastal Carolina University
SUNY-Binghamton 55 v 34 Bowling Green University
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire 41 v 19 Winona State University

Saturday November 15, 2025
East Region
US Coast Guard Academy 44 v 31 Marist University
Fairfield University 29 v 22 Roger Williams University
South Region
Vassar College 57 v 5 Towson University
Coastal Carolina University 29 v 22 College of William & Mary
Midwest Region
SUNY-Binghamton 60 v 17 Northwestern University
Bowling Green University 19 v  13 University of Cincinnati
West Region
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire 62 v 17 Norwich University
Winona State University 41 v 19 University of Texas-San Antonio