Quinnipiac Women’s Rugby Defeats CWU for Repeat National Championship

A hard fought battle on the pitch ended with Quinnipiac topping Central Washington University 46-24 for the 2016 NIRA National Championship win. This is Quinnipiac’s second national championship in a row and first time in QU history beating Central Washington.

The match started off with back-to-back Central Washington tries bringing the score 12-0. Quinnipiac answered with their own back-to-back tries. The first try came after a Bobcat scrum where Mason Johnson got the ball out to Ilona Maher who took the ball down the field 40 yards for the try. The second try was scored after a hard battle up the field. Emily Roskopf earned the 60-yard try off an assist from Hailey Wyatt. Madison Gegeckas’s conversion was good and Quinnipiac tied the score at 12-12.

From there the battle for the top spot continued as a clutch steal from Flora Poole at the goal line brought the ball up to the 50-yard line for QU. Central Washington kicked from there right into the hands of Emily Roskopf who was able to get the ball to Ilona Maher who dished it to Rebecca Haight for the sideline try bringing Quinnipiac up 17-12. Central Washington answered with their own try sending the score into the half at 17-17.

Determined to repeat their national championship and top Central Washington, Quinnipiac came out for the second half ready to go. Bobcats took the lead within the first three minutes of the second half when Poole broke away and passed it off to Maher for the try. Conversion by Gegeckas was good and QU brought the score to 24-17. Central Washington didn’t let up, however, and they scored their first try of the half off a scrum at the 5-yard line tying the score back up at 24-24.

Quinnipiac fought hard into the second half and as Central Washington grew tired the Bobcats piled on the points. A QU scrum inside the CWU 40-yard line was won by the Bobcats and brought up the field by Maggie Myles who dished it off to Poole for the try. Quinnipiac up by 5 decided to take the kick for points after a penalty and it was good, bringing to Bobcat lead to 32-24.

Bobcat defense was able to shut down CWU offense from here on out. With 16 minutes to go in the second half Quinnipiac kept the ball rolling when Flora Poole stripped CWU of the ball and passed it of to Roskopf for the try. Another good conversion by Gegeckas took the Bobcat lead to 39-24. After a lineout to Quinnipiac on Central Washington’s 22-yard line the Bobcats were at it again. Poole got the ball off to Maher who snapped it to Roskopf for the try. A terrific day for Gegeckas as the conversion is good and Quinnipiac leads 46-24.

Central Washington gave Quinnipiac a hard fought battle but as time ran out the Bobcats remained on top for the back-to-back national championship win.

See results from the 2016 NIRA playoffs here.

Sourced from QuinnipiacBobcats.com.