Photo courtesy USAFA Women’s Rugby Facebook
The U.S. Air Force Academy retained the USA Rugby DI College Fall Championship title with a 26-10 win over the U.S. Naval Academy. It was the second-straight, third overall trophy for Air Force and the first title-match appearance for the Midshipmen.
RELATED: Air Force Preview • Navy Preview
The first 20 minutes belonged to Navy. The team simply held onto possession, gaining consistent meters through standouts like No. 8 Sarah Skinner and then working the inside backs defense to release dangerous ballcarriers like Clara Enninful. A good kick-chase and some penalties moved Navy into scoring position, and at the eight-minute mark, the ball moved wide to wing Haley Creech for the corner try: 5-0.
Air Force hurt itself a bit – a not-straight lineout, knock-ons – but the Navy defense did well to force some of those mistakes. The potency of Air Force’s counterruck, however, showed itself early and got more opportunities when the defense renewed in the later stages.
Building to its first score, Air Force No. 8 Kaylee Eskeli – the former wing – showed just how dangerous she is off the back of the scrum, and went on the first of several angled breakaways. A pass into touch ended the immediate scoring opportunity, an error that is also a credit to the Navy defense. Eventually a 22-meter Navy lineout produced an unsuccessful clearance kick that went essentially laterally into the Air Force backs’ hands. Elizabeth Laboe was held up on the first attempt to dot down, but the subsequent campaign saw a sliding Navy defense leave a gap around the ruck, and scrumhalf Devin Doyle stabbed through for the try. Fullback Jacqueline Hamby hit the conversion for the 7-5 lead after 25 minutes.
The scoreline held for the rest of the half, and both teams had reason to claim momentum into the break. Air Force ended with a driving scrum on Navy’s five meter and nearly pressured an error, while the Midshipmen defense weathered a surging Falcons attack and prevented a second score.
Navy challenged early in the second half but two handling errors slowed the attack. Some kick exchanges kept relocating the game, and then Navy flyhalf Abigail Ebersole did well to poach possession and reset her team in good attacking position. A stalled ballcarrier allowed Air Force to ruck over, and as soon as the ball saw sunlight, Doyle was on it and tearing away down the short side for the long-range try. Hamby converted for the 14-5 lead.
Air Force hit its stride and right away was back in scoring position. More piercing runs from Eskeli got the team close and then flyhalf Rhiannon Townsend dummied her opposite for the Hamby-converted try, 21-5 after 55 minutes.
The teams traded breakaways for some exciting end-to-end rugby. A couple of Air Force penalties allowed Navy to build, and damaging runs from Skinner, inside center Grace Stevens and prop Nicole August kept the Falcons scrambling. In close, Ebersole nearly ended her angled run in the try zone but was held up. Skinner had a go at the line but then August found the seam for the try, 21-10.
During the final 15 minutes, it was the Air Force defense in and around the contact area that really surged. The pack worked really hard to fly up off the line and flood the channels, and forced Navy to connect quicker to evade tacklers seeking out a poach. Air Force forced a knock-on and Eskeli was there for the pickup and launched the counter-attack. The No. 8 found wing Sarah Stinson, who nearly made it to the corner if it wasn’t for a valiant try-saving tackle from fullback Ana Olszewski.
But the Navy defense repelled this Air Force drive, relieving some pressure with clearances, albeit short ones, and benefitting from Air Force penalties in the ruck and tackle. Eventually, the Falcons were issued a yellow card for repeat infringements, and inside center Yoder, who had placed some really nice kicks in open play, was sent off at minute 75.
Navy held onto the ball but didn’t really have an answer through or around the defense, which answered the challenge of a player disadvantage. The Midshipmen worked the phases waiting for another mistake, but it didn’t come.
Instead, the game ended with Stinson taking the ball on the run, drawing two defenders and getting her hands through the tackle for the offload to Hamby in support. The senior fullback was tackled at the try line but quick support to the ruck allowed Doyle to pick from the base and loop to the corner: 26-10.
The final whistle sounded shortly afterward and Doyle was named championship MVP. Overall, it was a fantastic showcase for rugby and the service academies specifically. Air Force pulled off the difficult repeat title and Navy showed well in its first DI fall final.