BRUNSWICK, Maine – The Bowdoin women's rugby team earned a return trip to the NIRA Championship with a dominating 56-8 win over Castleton in the NIRA Semifinals on Saturday at Pickard Field.
The Polar Bears advance to play the University of New England in the NIRA title match on Saturday, November 19 at Dartmouth College.
Match Highlights
- Rebecca Vakarau opened the scoring just three minutes into the match, scoring in the corner off her own kick and chase for a 5-0 lead.
- At 16 and 18 minutes, LuLu Linkas scored two of her three tries on long runs, showing great footwork to outstep multiple defenders, bringing the score to 15-0 and placing Bowdoin comfortably ahead.
- Back and forth play ensued when Flyhalf Evie Hamer, off a broken play, took the ball, found a hole in the defensive wall and sprinted 40 meters for the try. Lauryn Eisenhart's conversion kick was good to make it 22-0.
- Moments later, Bowdoin committed a penalty inside their own 22m and Castleton scored the PK, 22-3.
- The backline was clicking when outside center Katie Stomma had a nice line break and looked ready to score when a Castleton player interfered and the referee called for a penalty try to be awarded (7 points) bringing the score to 29-3.
- Late in the first half, Vakarau scored her second try of the match, and with the Eisenhart conversion the halftime score was 36-3.
- Bowdoin's forwards worked very well together all game and it paid off when a series of offloads sprung Len Dodge through a gap for a 30 meter try under the posts.
- Linkas and Eisenhart scored the final two tries for the Polar Bears, both converted, in answer to a Castleton try in the corner, bringing the final score to Bowdoin 56, Castleton 8.
- Bowdoin's leading tackler was Len Dodge with 11, followed by 7 tackles each from LuLu Linkas, Nisi Tuitupou and Katie Stomma.
Up Next
- Bowdoin, who has won the last two NIRA Division III Championships, will face UNE next Saturday at Dartmouth College in the title match. More information will be available next week.
