New York, NY - It was a wonderful setting in the Big Apple on the upper west side at Columbia University's Baker Field Sports Complex for the opening conference game of 2026-27. The Vassar College Women were keen to get their campaign rolling and with a slew of returners there was plenty of confidence.

Since 1997, over the past 30 years, Vassar has played Columbia on 26 occasions winning 23 times, losing 2 and tying 1 game. In 2023 Columbia defeated Vassar twice and although Vassar crushed the Lions 93-0 the following Fall it is never good to take an opponent lightly. 

Vassar College Women 101 v 5 Columbia University Women
Tries: Makaela Weldon (1), Maisy Richardson (2), Rosie Perkinson (3), Ella Maniatis (1), Leah Dourmashkin (1), Rahmat Gambari (3), Sydney Oren (1), Emma Niehaus (1), Nadya LaMarr (3), Chloe Ellis (1).
Cons: Emma Niehaus (3), Nadya LaMarr (5).

Vassar kicked off, earned a turnover and within 10 minutes had sliced through the Columbia defense scoring 3 tries. The home team was stunned and the Brewers were playing with tempo and width. 

The fact of the matter is that Columbia is in a big rebuild and over half their team are rookies. In stark contrast 4 of the Vassar backs are seniors with 3 years of starting under their belt. Up front half the pack are also 2 or 3 year starters. The disparity in experience between the teams was vast. 

Full credit is due to the Columbia players as they kept making tackles and battling for the full 80 minutes and there was no quit in their lineup. The problem for the Lions was that Vassar monopolized the ball and played quite a bit of error free rugby.

The center partnership of Weldon and Maniatis is well established and both got early scores while at the back Rosie Perkinson hit the line at pace. All these 3 were supplied by Sabine Weil who conducted quite the symphony!

Vassar will face much sterner tests ahead so must push much harder in the weekly practice sessions. Fitness is a priority and the players must both push and support each other.

Team: 15 Rosie Perkinson 14 Rahmat Gambari 13 Ella Maniatis 12 Makaela Weldon 11 Leah Dourmashkin 10 Sabine Weil 9 Maisy Richardson 1 Cae Bardsley-Cutler 2 Emma Niehaus 3 Eleanor Jacoby 4 Tate Wagner 5 Jo Ellis 6 Annika Szturma 7 Kiki Takata 8 Ellie Carr. 

Subs: Mari Grandbouche, Lila Gallivan, O. Arteaga-Johnson, Lydia Hong, Emi Mitchell, Nadya LaMarr, Chloe Ellis, Sadye Krell.
Traveling reserves: Sydney Oren, Dea Edwards, Dora Chen, Gemzi Tinoco & AC Smith.
Injured: Meg Carpenter, Ava Rowland, Hazel Curran & Gabby Gitau.
Rookies: Evie Schwartz, Ray Coeny, Arden Marburg, Oli Pape, Tess Gemmell, Bailey Richards, Ayla Romm, Alex Harris & Emerson Singer.
Not traveling: Rose Madden, Logan Snyder, Fetun Shimles, Eloise Guarisco, Shayna Newman & Tossi Babukhadze.

Record: 1-0-0.