Houston, TX - Today, at SaberCats Stadium in Houston, TX the Vassar College Women's Rugby team came up against a very familiar opponent in the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. In the last 10 years Vassar has defeated Coast Guard 8 times in the playoffs and only lost once in a consolation game at the Final 4. But on this occasion the New London school prevailed and the Brewers defense of their national title was halted.

Vassar College Women 24 v 29 U.S. Coast Guard Academy Women
Tries: Sophia Bailey (1), Rosie Perkinson (1), Nadya LaMarr (1), Leah Dourmashkin (1).
Cons: Nadya LaMarr (2).
It was quite ironic that on a day when Vassar played well without the ball, i.e. on defense, and for extended periods of time that they fell behind. In a tight first half the teams turned around after 40 minutes tied at 5-5. Vassar took the lead when Sophia Bailey quickly tapped a penalty and darted through. 

The Academy managed to sustain long periods of pressure with their ball carriers doing a good job of maintaining possession but the Vassar team tackled well and the defense looked organized. For a period of about 17 minutes the Vassar defense held strong but eventually in the latter stage of the first half the Coast Guard scored to even the score. This period included when Vassar had to play with 14 as Matty Sumrow was yellow carded for a high tackle.

The Vassar forwards would carry the ball and then be pulled forward by the Coast Guard tackler and then the player was isolated allowing either the tackler, assist tackler or a third player to jackal the ball. The turnovers really hurt Vassar's cause. Looking at the game video it is pretty clear that the tackler and assist tackler were often not coming through the gate but Vassar was slow to adapt to the referee's interpretation.

The second half Coast Guard started well and with a lot of direct running they made inroads. Consistent recycling meant that just getting possession was difficult for the Brewers. But the first score of the second half was when the Coast Guard backs got away down the right wing and Vassar's Leah Dourmashkin gave chase. The experienced wing momentarily put her hands on the shoulders of the Coast Guard player from behind but as she did so their feet got tangled up and the player went down. Dourmashkin didn't grab with her hands as she immediately pulled them away but the referee adjudged it a high tackle even against the advice of the assistant referee and awarded a penalty try. Vassar trailed 12-5.

The momentum was now with the Coast Guard and a clean line break led to another try as the 14 Vassar players scrambled to recover. Vassar was digging a deep hole as 19-5 became 24-5.

So with 24 minutes left in the match Vassar mounted a comeback. First Rosie Perkinson sliced through and with LaMarr's kick it was 24-12. Then LaMarr skipped over from close range with some nifty footwork and it was 24-17. But a yellow card for Vassar's Sarah Towne once again left the Brewers with 14. So with about 13 minutes remaining a converted try would bring the Brewers level. Credit is due Coast Guard as they responded and scored their 5th try to make it 29-17 before the Brewers would get the final try and the game finished with a 29-24 scoreline.

Three yellow cards certainly had made life difficult for the Brewers but the team kept battling and made a fight of the contest.

Vassar will play in the 3rd/4th place game tomorrow at 12:00 noon against SUNY-Binghamton who lost out to the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire 59-7.

Team: 15 Rosie Perkinson 14 Matty Sumrow 13 Gabriella Maniatis 12 Makaela Weldon 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 Maisy Richardson 8 Sarah Towne.
Subs: Jude Robinson for Gus Pointer Mace, Nadya LaMarr for Jude Robinson.
16 Rahmat Gambari 17 Jude Robinson 18 Annika Szturma 19 Keilee Takata 20 Ellie Carr 21 Gabby Gitau 22 Nadya LaMarr 23 Chloe Ellis.

Overall record: 11-1-0

Next: Sunday December 7, 2025 Vassar College Women v SUNY-Binghamton KO 12:00 pm