This past weekend, the Dartmouth women's rugby club bested a 12-team Division 1 Field to take the championship at the Beast of the East tournament in Portsmouth, R.I. The Big Green won four games in two days, including a thrilling overtime victory over Vassar in the championship match.
The DWRC took two straight games Saturday by a combined 92 points, knocking off Rutgers 60-0 and Boston University 32-0 in a round robin pool. In Sunday's playoffs, the Big Green defeated the University of Connecticut 12-0 in the semifinals and advanced to the final match against Vassar.
Both teams moved the ball well in the first half, but neither one made it to the tryzone. The game remained scoreless through most of the second half until Vassar came through a maul at the tryline and touched the ball down to take the lead. The conversion kick made the score 7-0.
With less than 10 minutes left in the game, Dartmouth charged right back. Outside center Meg Verdeyen '03 ran the ball up the field and Erin Garnett '06 carried it into the tryzone to finish the drive. Flyhalf Emily Battle '05 made the conversion kick that tied the game at seven.
Time ran out before either team could score again, and the match went into sudden death overtime. Vassar briefly advanced towards the tryzone, but Dartmouth soon recovered possession and drove all the way up the field. Battle touched down the final try and the Big Green won 12-7.
The tournament win was the climax of the DWRC's spring season, which began over spring break on tour in Seattle and Vancouver and continued with a tough second place finish in the Ivy League tournament. With the bulk of the spring season completed, the DWRC is now looking to add to its roster for next year and continue its winning tradition.
Annie Snider and Christine Devane are members of the Dartmouth women's rugby club.
