For the second year in a row, Wisconsin Eau Claire and Vassar will meet in the Women’s Division II national championship game, after both won semifinals Saturday at SaberCats Stadium in Houston, TX. The Bluegolds shutout Cincinnati, 36-0, in the opening semifinal, while the Brewers eliminated Coast Guard, 39-27. Vassar and Eau Claire square off at 2 p.m. CST Sunday.
The Bearcats made two-time defending champ Eau Claire work for everything in the first half, allowing the Blugolds across the whitewash just twice in the opening 40 minutes. Inside center Klayresse Chamberlain got it going in the 17th minute, and wing Caitlyn Skattebo added another five minutes later. Fullback Cerys Ridd converted both, putting Eau Claire up 14-0 at the break.
In the second half, UWEC averaged a try every 10 minutes, with flyhalf Megan Ludy, outside center Margaret Behnke, reserve wing Kaitlyn Buckli and Ridd all dotting down, and Lily Walrath adding a conversion.
The latter semifinal was more competitive, though it looked like it wouldn’t be early. Vassar struck in the third minute when scrumhalf Sophia Bailey broke free on a quick tap, putting the Brewers in the attacking end. They toed through and ran another Coast Guard penalty at the 22, and this time fullback Jude Robinson ran roughshod over the Coast Guard backline to score in the corner.
Vassar scored three minutes later, this time with Bailey scoring herself off a quick tap. The Brewers were threatening a third-straight try, but Robinson was penalized for an illegal stiff arm. The Bears ran it slowly from their own end, catching Vassar off guard, and No. 8 Kaitlyn Boggs scored on the second phase, fending her way through the line and outracing Vassar for an 80-meter score.
Robinson scored her second try to get the Brewers back in the right direction, beating three Bears in the process. The score put Vassar up, 19-5, halfway through the opening stanza, but Coast Guard tightened up its ball retention and defense to control much of the rest of the half. The Bears thought they’d scored a second try, but video review confirmed it was held up.
Coast Guard was finally rewarded in the 45th minute, when centers Gabriella Kraus-Rivera and Emma Briggs linked up for a long range score. Kraus-Rivera made the initial break, finding Briggs, who was caught by Bailey, but offloaded to Jasmine Mendez for the score.
Vassar stopped the Coast Guard run with a try in the 50th minute. This time Amanda Konieczny drew the defense and dished to wing Leah Dourmashkin, who took it in. Flanker Sarah Wagner scored off a pick-and-go two minutes later, and Robinson scored her third right after that, putting the Brewers up by three scores, 34-10.
Coast Guard scored back-to-back tries to threaten a late comeback, but Bailey’s second score put those hopes to rest.
Stream all matches on The Rugby Network+.
