On a Saturday during which rain and cold made for difficult times for open, running rugby, Vassar College and Winona State conquered the weather and their opponents to make the 2018 Women’s D2 College Fall Final.

Winona State got three tries from prop forward Makayla Leraas, but it was a concerted effort to win ball at the breakdown and achieve the achievables that got the Black Kats through.

This was not a pretty game. Neither team really embraced the need to make passes shorter and adjust for the rain. As a result there were far, far too many dropped balls, many of which could be blamed on ill-advised offloads, skip passes, and no-look dishes, rather than the target of the pass. But Cincinnati struggled more. Trying to work a kick-and-chase game, UC’s kicks were good, but the chase wasn’t quite there. 

For the most part, Winona State was able to pin UC in their own half and punish mistakes when they happened. But it was slow going - we didn’t get the first points until 24 minutes in - partly because Winona State couldn’t win their linnets, Cincinnati had trouble in the scrums, and neither team could be sufficiently secure at the breakdown.

Winona State’s center pairing of Emily Becker and Abigail Andler eventually took control of the game defensively, and while UC got big games from No. 8 Abigail Lowman, flanker Allison Kosson, and scrumhalf Alaina Tarr, they also were hit with injuries, and that hurt the Bearcats’ cohesion.

Andler scored the first try after a break by Becker. Cincinnati replied with a nice effort from Medleine Conklin. But then the second half belonged to Winona, and especially Leraas, who showed the desire and good body position to finish off the pressure.

Winona State 34

Tries: Leraas 3, Andler, Calametti, Downs

Convs: Becker 2

Cincinnati 7

Tries: Conklin

Convs: Perl

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Meanwhile, Vassar was also tactically more aware than Coast Guard. The US Coast Guard Academy had logged big scores all season, but was somewhat stymied by a Vassar team that understood the need to keep the ball tight and not be too flashy with the passing.

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Content to put almost the entire forward pack over the ball in the rucks, the Brewers didn’t lose patience and kick for no reason, and pressured Coast Guard into mistakes.

That was the story as Katharine Sworden, Oshana Reich, and Sworden again scored to stake Vassar to a 19-0 lead after 18 minutes. Reich scored again to make it 24-0, and only just before halftime did Coast Guard unleash that firepower.

The Bears wouldn’t get within two scores, however, and Sworden’s third essentially finished them off.

Vassar 43

Tries: Sworden 3, Reich 2, Gladstone, To

Convs: Vences-Dimas 4

Coast Guard 26

Tries: Sims 2, Roush, Dennis

Convs: Roush 3

So Two savvy teams go up against each other on Sunday hoping for better conditions, but confident they can work with anything Mother Nature throws at them. Vassar looked a little bit more polished offensively, but Winona State’s defense was very strong overall.

It will be a battle.