Houston, TX - The Vassar Brewers took to the field in the third/fourth place consolation game at the National Collegiate Rugby Championships absolutely determined to show their class. Losing the semifinal on Saturday was a crushing blow and one might be forgiven for thinking that there was nothing to play for but credit the squad for being fully focused on playing well and getting a good result. 

There were motivating factors that certainly helped, particularly in the form of the large support for the team be they alums, family and friends. Also, this being the third year in a row the team has played Coast Guard, there was a point to be made that the seedings were not correct.

Vassar College Women 73 v 0 SUNY-Binghamton Women
Tries: Tate Wagner (1), Matty Sumrow (1), Leah Dourmashkin (1), Gus Pointer Mace (1), Sophia Bailey (4), Nadya LaMarr (1), Rosie Perkinson (2), Sabine Weil (1) & Ella Maniatis (1).
Cons: Nadya LaMarr (4).

SUNY-Binghamton was making its first appearance at the NCR Final 4 and had lost on Saturday to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire 59-7. Sunday was not going to be any easier as the Vassar Brewers took to the field on a mission. Cheered on by a large contingent of fans the first exchanges were fast and furious. Binghamton moved the ball to the touchline but struggled to get out of their own half. The Bearcats had a couple of quick runners in their backs and certainly did not lack for size in their pack. But there were plenty of double tackles by the Vassar defenders and it soon became apparent that Vassar was going to monopolize possession.

As long as the Brewers didn't make mistakes they would be able to control the ball and tempo of the match.

Unlike on Saturday when Vassar players were instructed by the referee not to contest rucks if a tackler hadn't rolled away and duly obliged, this was a full blooded contest. One of the great facets of this game is that there is the opportunity for a contest to gain possession. Both Binghamton and Vassar fought for possession and the ledger favored Vassar considerably.

Tate Wagner picked and drove over for the first score. Not long afterwards Matty Sumrow did likewise. Vassar was starting to get in stride and Binghamton's only response was a few charging runs from individuals.

The third of Vassar's scores was a beauty as Sabine Weil hit Rosie Perkinson at full tilt and the diminutive fullback ran intelligently before offloading to left wing Leah Dourmashkin. Binghamton had been stretched wide for a score and conceded 2 up the middle. 

Gus Pointer Mace scored from another pick before Sophia Bailey got a brace in quick succession that took Vassar into a 34-0 lead. The half was about to finish and Binghamton was in possession near halfway when Vassar's Nadya LaMarr intercepted the ball. The speedster snatched the ball out of the receiver's hands and sprinted away to make it 39-0. LaMarr kicked 4 conversions on the day giving her a tally of 13 points.

The talk at halftime was to keep up the tempo and not to slack off. The goal was to not let Binghamton score at all. The team wanted to better the UWEC score of the previous day and that they did emphatically.

Bailey added 2 more tries and took her season total to 29. She has been exceptional over this 4 year period and in fact, all the seniors can take great pride in their overall record of 70 wins and just 8 losses since Fall 2022. 

At fullback Rosie Perkinson scored another scorcher of a try and Binghamton was reeling. The fullbacks opportunities had been set up by the work of the Vassar centers, Makaela Weldon, Matty Sumrow and Ella Maniatis. At various times they toiled relentlessly getting over the gain line and sucking in defenders that freed up the space outside. Sumrow and Maniatis earned tries and flyhalf Sabine Weil also bosched her way over.

The scoreline read 73-0 and as the players went over to watch the second half of the Championship game it was some consolation to see the U.S. Coast Guard Academy run away with the title 51-12.

Over the weekend Vassar scored more points than any of the Division II teams, conceded the least points and unfortunately had the most yellow cards (3). 

A huge, huge thank you is due to VC Sports Medicine Director Suzi Higgins and all the players for their help off the field as well as the game efforts. The Michael Cesta '82 Alum Dinner hosted by Charlie Williams was such a success. Speeches were made and the overriding theme was one of camaraderie, sense of family and love of the sport. 

The team will travel back to Poughkeepsie arriving in the wee hours of Monday morning and take a great deal of satisfaction from a good season record of 12-1-0, a third place finish of the 80 plus Division II rugby schools and quite possibly a #2 ranking given the results this weekend!

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: Nadya LaMarr for Cae Bardsley-Cutler, Gabby Gitau for Gus Pointer Mace, Kiki Takata for Makaela Weldon, Ellie Carr for Tate Wagner, Rahmat Gambari for Leah Dourmashkin, Chloe Ellis for Maisy Richardson, Sadye Krell for Ella Maniatis & Annika Szturma for Emma Niehaus.

Overall record: 12-1-0
Next: Spring Season 2026