PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville College women's rugby team concluded their inaugural season on Sunday afternoon with a matchup against Castleton University. While the Spartans were victorious in the three games, the Valiants showed a strong improvement from their first matchup against Castleton a week ago where they were held scoreless in a pair of contests.
Before the opening kickoff, the team honored their five graduating members as part of Senior Day festivities. The group will forever be remembered as the founders of the women's rugby program, having set the stage for years of continued development and growth to come.
Game One Recap: Castleton 29, Manhattanville 5
The Spartans quickly took control of the first draw of the day, scoring 19 points in the opening half. Hannah Coupas scored a pair of tries, while Tovah Coe was able to fight her way into the try zone as the clock hit zeroes while Haley Conway went 2-for-3 on her first-half conversion attempts to spot Castleton the sizeable lead.
Two minutes in to the second half, Castleton would score again, this time on a try by Aubrey Tetlow. The Valiants would finally breakthrough the Spartan defense for the first time in six halves, as
Kasey Molito (Whitman, MA/Whitman-Hanson Regional) was able to fight her way into the try zone with two minutes remaining to cut the Spartan lead to 24-5. Castleton would pick up another five points on Coupas' third try of the contest with 24 second remaining, securing the win for the visitors.
Game Two Recap: Castleton 29, Manhattanville 5
Castleton would strike first again in the second game, as Olivia Strong scored a try 98 seconds into the affair. After an unsuccessful conversion attempt, the Valiants would methodically make their way down the field with the equalizer as Molito struck again with 2:40 remaining in the half, evening the score at 5-5. The Spartans were able to capitalize on the time remaining, however, as Coe once again scored a try with time waning to put Castleton back on top. Ginny House kicked the conversion attempt between the uprights to give the Spartans the 12-5 advantage at the half.
The Spartans would replicate their success from the first half of the opener to close out Game Two. Coupas scampered into the try zone 35 seconds after the kick to put Castleton up 12. Coupas would score again just over a minute later to extend the lead to 24-5 following a successful Natalie Simicek conversion. Simicek would go on to earn a try of her own at the end of the half, earning the Spartans their second 29-5 win of the afternoon.
Game Three Recap: Castleton 12, Manhattanville 10
Following two strong offensive displays in the previous two games, the Valiants defensive play was able to keep the Spartans in check for the final draw of the day. Castleton struck first, with Strong earning a try at 4:20. The score would remain 5-0 for the Spartans for most of the half before Molito would work her way into the try zone for her third score of the day with just over a minute left on the clock to tie things back up. As they had done all day long, Castleton was able to work quickly with time winding down, as Simicek scored a try with time expired and successfully kicked the conversion to put the Spartans ahead 12-5 at the half.
With the ball to begin the second, Manhattanville worked quickly as Molito picked up her fourth try of the day at 5:18. With the senior captain unsuccessful on her ensuing conversion attempt, the Valiants cut the lead down to 12-10. That would be where the score would remain for the rest of the contest, as the Valiants hung tough defensively, but were unable to get back into the try zone for the winning score.
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