Despite Comeback, Vassar Women’s Rugby Falls to Kinsale, 15-10

from Vassar Athletics:

KINSALE, IRELAND (March 16, 2010) — Although the Vassar College women’s rugby team found itself in a quick 10-0 hole just five minutes into its matchup with the KInsale Rugby Club, the Brewers battled back, but came up just short in a 15-10 loss on Tuesday in Vassar’s second stop of its Spring Break trip to Ireland.

It was ironic that in the first 5 minutes Kinsale scored 2 tries to go up 10-0 as the Vassar Women came roaring out of the locker room with a battle-cry that was worthy of Braveheart! Once the visitors realized that they could match-up physically with their far superior rucking they gained huge chunks of territory and played some really good rugby. The wind and rain was awful but just as was the case with the men’s game the teams moved the ball quite well. Granted there were knock-ons and passes that went astray but all in all credit is due all the players.

Vassar College Women 10 v Kinsale Women 15
Tries: Ami Major (1)& Amanda Waterhouse (1).

Kinsale had a big pack and I mean a BIG pack! It doesn’t matter at what level you play this factor usually has a bearing on initial engagements. Some smaller players will be like terriers and rabid in nature thus negating the seemed advantage. Others will wonder if they can match up. There can be no room for doubt or concern as the best approach is to be rabid!

But Vassar was bundled back as the Kinsale women picked and drove. This was in part due to the initial Brewer policy of wanting to only contest truly winnable rucks.

Kinsale’s first try was from the forwards picking and driving and the second was a gift from Vassar to their hosts. From the re-start their center gathered and ran a full 60 yards to score! She would be a danger all game in the open field.

But after that second try and the on the evidence of one contested ruck it was clear that Kinsale could be driven off the loose ball despite their superior size. The Vassar pack duly responded and it was game on. Krissa Wiechmann and Ami Major led significant charges and all the others particularly Mariko Yoshimura-Rank followed suit.

Vassar scored in the first half when from not far from the Kinsale line Ami Major found a seam and to quote the strong running lock, “Heaved myself over the line!”

The Vassar backs too were getting into sync. Both Emma Backe and Willa Conway making breaks and linking on occasion. Rookie wings Celia Castellan and Sarah Fuentes acquitted themselves quite well although I’m sure there were times when they stood out there in the driving rain and thought “Why did I sign up for this?”

The game entered it’s final quarter and from broken play Vassar was slow to defend both sides of the ruck. The space was exploited by the Kinsale flyhalf and they went up 15-5. The Vassar women responded and a long period of continuity was finished off by flanker Amanda Waterhouse who slithered through the defense in a child-like manner to score emphatically. But time would run out on the Brewers and it finished 15-10.

Defending both sides of the rucks is critical and then of course there’s that whole rabid attitude thing to remember!

Team: 15 Morandi Hurst 14 Celia Castellan 13 Willa Conway 12 Emma Backe 11 Sarah Fuentes 10 Julia Nissen 9 Jansyn Thaw 1 Patty Walton 2 Alyssa Bell 3 Nathalie duRivage 4 Krissa Wiechmann 5 Ami Major 6 Amanda Waterhouse 7 Lucy Cantwell 8 Mariko Yoshimura-Rank Subs: Hannah Bober for Jansyn Thaw, Kate Hancock for Sarah Fuentes, Kim Beaudoin for Patty Walton, Dana Hart for Lucy Cantwell, Caitlin Bull for Celia Castellan, Laura Howard for Emma Backe, Alana Melton for Alyssa Bell.

Next: Thursday March 18, 2010 at Fermoy Women KO 6:30 p.m.
Overall record 2009-10: 5-5-1.

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