Eastern Penn defeated the Colonial Coast, 22-17 in overtime, to win the Women’s Small College All Star Championship Sunday in Round Rock, Texas, securing back-to-back titles. The final proved the toughest test all weekend for Eastern Penn, which outscored opponents 141-17 in their previous four bouts. 

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Four Eastern Penn players made the All-Tournament team, selected by Premier Rugby 7s coaches Rosalind Chou and Irene Gardner. Tournament MVP Saira Alexander, a York sophomore, is joined by Marywood sophomore Rosalyn Page and East Stroudsburg pair Lindsay Foster and Morgan Mattia. Repping the Colonial Coast on the dream team are Maine-Farmington’s Ali Banks and Endicott’s Carolina Stubbs.

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Colonial Coast, winners of this competition in the past, beat all comers except Eastern Penn. The runners-up racked up wins over Northern Lights, Allegheny and Upstate New York in pool play before edging the Great Waters, 5-0, in Sunday’s semifinal. While Eastern Penn gouged the Colonial Coast, 26-5, in pool play, it took extra time to decide the final. 

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The champs struck first off a free kick from a scrum infringement and made it a 10-0 inside the first five minutes with a second unconverted try around the perimeter. The Colonial Coast scored back-to-back tries, and a conversion, to take a 12-10 lead into halftime. Eastern Penn scored its first converted try to open the second stanza, but Tess Merrill nullified it in the 14th minute to force overtime. After three tense minutes, Eastern Penn broke the stalemate to seal the win.  

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Small College All Tournament Team

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Saira Alexander, Eastern Pennsylvania, York College, Sophomore (MVP)

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Elsa Athiley, Great Waters, University of Chicago, Senior

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Ali Banks, Colonial Coast, University of Maine-Farmington, Senior

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Molly Cancian, Ohio Valley, Baldwin Wallace University, Junior

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Riley Conner, Great Waters, University of Wisconsin - Platteville, Senior

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Lindsay Foster, Eastern Pennsylvania, East Stroudsburg University, Sophomore

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Virginia Harris, Great Waters, Northern Michigan University, First Year

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Lexi Hulick, Allegheny, Gannon University, Sophomore

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Morgan Mattia, Eastern Pennsylvania, East Stroudsburg University, Junior

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Rosalyn Page, Eastern Pennsylvania, Marywood University, Sophomore

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Etta Pierce, Ohio Valley, Ohio Wesleyan University, First Year

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Carolina Stubbs, Colonial Coast, Endicott College, Senior

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