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Vassar College Athletics

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Jude Robinson
Stockton Photo, Inc.

Women's Rugby Tony Brown, Head Men's and Women's Rugby Coach

Women's Rugby Reaches Semifinals at Tri-State 7s Championship

Loudonville, NY - The Vassar squad traveled to Siena College, just north of Albany, NY and on what is becoming a typical weekend with cold temperatures, wind and sometimes rain, the team finished top of their pool but then was knocked out in their semifinal against Fairfield University. In addition a number of players assisted the USMMA Kings Point fledgling team and had a good day scoring tries and making tackles.
Game 1
Vassar College Women 14 v 17 The College of New Jersey Women
Tries: Chloe Ellis (1) & Sarah Towne (1).
Cons: Zoe Lynch (2).
Vassar seemed to be in control of this match but was perhaps guilty of not taking a couple of chances that allowed TCNJ to stay close. Vassar's Emma Niehaus offloaded to Chloe Ellis for the first try and it was 7-0 as Lynch popped over the conversion. TCNJ struck back and closed the gap at 7-5 after some good ball movement but then the Brewers reacted quickly at a penalty and Lynch intelligently passed to Sarah Towne to make it 14-5. 
One has to give TCNJ credit as they persevered pushing the ball from touchline to touchline and it paid dividends when they scored to take the score to 14-10. The last couple of minutes was very tense as the New Jersey school managed to get ahead 17-14 and then Vassar had the ball pressing upfield but was unable to get the winning try. It was not the best start to the day but the squad still had 3 more games and the plan was to win all of those games and hopefully that would mean a top 2 finish.
Game 2
Vassar College Women 20 v 0 Columbia University Women
The Lions of Columbia have been something of a bogey team for the Brewers particularly in the 7s game. Just the week prior at Stony Brook University Vassar lost 22-5. But the New York City school could not cope with the powerful running of Jude Robinson and with a bit more pace in the lineup Vassar kept a clean sheet. Two tries in each half was a fair reflection of the game.
Vassar's first try was from a scrum and Robinson just ploughed through a would-be tackler. The second score was very deserved as Vassar chose a foil rather than the bludgeon when Rosie Perkinson scooted around the outside.
After halftime Vassar made an emphatic statement as they attacked from the restart deep in their own half and Danny White broke through to run the length of the field and it was 15-0. Zoe Lynch had the last word when she alertly scooped up a loose ball  and burst upfield to seal the win.
Vassar was back on track with a shot at the playoffs.


Team: 1 Yasmeen Kassem-Scott 2 Emma Niehaus 3 Sarah Towne 9 Maisy Richardson 10 Zoe Lynch 12 Jude Robinson 14 Rosie Perkinson. 
Subs: Eleanor Jacoby for Emma Niehaus & Danny White for Rosie Perkinson.


Game 3
Vassar College Women 29 v 0 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Women
Cons: Eleanor Jacoby (2).
Must win game number 2 was against the Engineers from Rensselaer and based on their Fall 15s backs performance the Brewers knew they had pace. But an emphatic defensive performance and fresh personnel allowed Vassar to grab the initiative.
Reveiving the kick-off and then a penalty Zoe Lynch tapped and offloaded to Danny White and the speedster went sailing through. White collected their brace moments later as center Makaela Weldon slipped through, all elbows and knees flying in different directions, and then White was in support to pick up the ball and make it 14-0. Eleanor Jacoby was doing the kicking duties now.
A great tackle from Vassar's All-American fullback Jude Robinson dislodged the ball and from the resulting scrum Ella Maniatis turned on the afterburners to score up the middle to make it 19-0. Makaela Weldon, not to be out done by her fellow 15s center took a pass from Zoe Lynch and at halftime it was a comfortable 24-0 lead. RPI had barely thrown a punch.
The second half saw vassar ring the changes and it was great to see first year scrumhalf Maisy Richardson sprinting almost the full length of the field to score. One pool game was left and Vassar needed to win to be sure of a playoff spot.
Team: 1 Jude Robinson 2 Maritza Flores 3 Eleanor Jacoby 9 Danny White 10 Zoe Lynch 12 Makaela Weldon 14 Ella Maniatis. 
Subs: Chloe Ellis for Zoe Lynch, Nadya LaMarr for Maritza Flores, Rahmat Gambari for Jude Robinson, Maisy Richardson for Danny White, Tate Wagner for Eleanor Jacoby.


Game 4
Vassar College Women 29 v 0 Montclair State University Women
Cons: Zoe Lynch (2).
Another clean sheet on the day and 5 tries in credit for the Brewers. Danny White ripped a ball from an MSU carrier and darted over to make it 5-0. The Emma Niehaus scored from a quick tap penalty and it was clear that the Brewers were up for this final pool game. Moments later in the first half Niehaus intercepted a pass and then fed Sarah Towne who showed pace and power to go over. Vassar was sprinting into a semifinal with a 17-0 lead.
Jude Robinson added to the Vassar tally when they picked up a loose pass from the ground and went route one to the in-goal. Finally, Yasmeen Kassem-Scott found some gas and slipped through with Jacoby adding the conversion. 29-0 and Vassar had earned a top place finish in Pool A. The semifinal opponent would be Fairfield University who had finished second in Pool B.
Team: 1 Yasmeen Kassem-Scott 2 Emma Niehaus 3 Sarah Towne 9 Danny White 10 Zoe Lynch 12 Jude Robinson 14 Rosie Perkinson.
Subs: Makaela Weldon for Zoe Lynch, Eleanor Jacoby for Emma Niehaus, Rahmat Gambari for Sarah Towne, Tate Wagner for Danny White.
Game 5 - Semifinal
Vassar College Women 5 v 10 Fairfield University Women
Tries: Zoe Lynch (1).

Vassar looked spent right from the get go in this semifinal game. Perhaps it was the fact that the squad had expended so much emotional energy just to get to the playoffs after losing game one. However, more likely it was that the team did not save energy by letting the ball do the work as too often ball carriers went into contact unnecessarily. In any event, it was an exciting contest as Vassar took the lead 5-0 and then Fairfield came back to tie it up at 5-5. Vassar definitely left some points on the field as opportunities went begging but at the end of the day it was Fairfield that found the answer and scored a second try.

Team: 1 Yasmeen Kassem-Scott 2 Emma Niehaus 3 Sarah Towne 9 Maisy Richardson  10 Zoe Lynch 12 Jude Robinson 14 Rosie Perkinson. 
Subs: Danny White for Jude Robinson, Makaela Weldon for Maisy Richardson, Ella Maniatis for Rosie Perkinson, Tate Wagner for Emma Niehaus, Maritza Flores for Yasmeen Kassem-Scott.
Next: Saturday & Sunday April 12 & 13, 2025 - Vassar College Women at the Beast of the East 15s Tournament in Portsmouth, RI.
Beast of the East 2025
Saturday April 12th, 2025
10:30 am on Field 4
Vassar College Women v Wentworth Institute of Technology

1:30 pm on Field 4
Vassar College Women v University of Vermont
Semifinals
3:30 pm on Field 3 or 4
1 v 4 & 2 v 3
Sunday April 13th, 2024
Final at 11:00 am or 1:00 pm on Field 3
TBA
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Players Mentioned

Eleanor Jacoby

Eleanor Jacoby

Sophomore
Yasmeen Kassem-Scott

Yasmeen Kassem-Scott

Junior
Nadya LaMarr

Nadya LaMarr

Sophomore
Zoe Lynch

Zoe Lynch

Senior
Ella Maniatis

Ella Maniatis

Sophomore
Emma Niehaus

Emma Niehaus

Sophomore
Jude Robinson

Jude Robinson

Junior
Tate Wagner

Tate Wagner

Sophomore
Makaela Weldon

Makaela Weldon

Sophomore
Danny White

Danny White

Senior

Players Mentioned

Eleanor Jacoby

Eleanor Jacoby

Sophomore
Yasmeen Kassem-Scott

Yasmeen Kassem-Scott

Junior
Nadya LaMarr

Nadya LaMarr

Sophomore
Zoe Lynch

Zoe Lynch

Senior
Ella Maniatis

Ella Maniatis

Sophomore
Emma Niehaus

Emma Niehaus

Sophomore
Jude Robinson

Jude Robinson

Junior
Tate Wagner

Tate Wagner

Sophomore
Makaela Weldon

Makaela Weldon

Sophomore
Danny White

Danny White

Senior