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Stanford Storms Through to CRAA D1 Women Title

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Stanford Storms Through to CRAA D1 Women Title

Journey WashingtonHigh on her way to pay dirt. Jeff Dalton photo.

The Stanford Women's Rugby team clinched the CRAA Women's D1 Championship title in a game that saw them victorious over Grand Canyon University 'Lopes with a final score of 36-19 on May 5th.

The game was delayed close to six hours because of lightning in the area but was, thankfully, played on Sunday evening and the teams stepped up to produce a very entertaining and well-played game. GCU had arrived at this game thanks to close wins over Cal (21-17) and Virginia (14-10). Stanford, for their part, had defeated Florida and Western Washington (the one team they had lost to) to make this game.

Eventually the storms eased up and there was a little wind and a little rain, and plenty of running rugby.

Stanford started strong with a brilliant opening try from flyhalf Laura Bocek, executing a training ground play to perfection. That was followed up with a try from the speedy Journey Washingtonhigh set up y a quick tap from No. 8 Mahie Wilhelm, and more penalties from GCU led to Wilhelm getting one for herself.

Little errors put Grand Canyon in a hole and they missed a scoring chance in a bit of a bizarre play—Fullback Samantha Garcia's penalty goal close to the posts clanged off the post. Garcia was busy picking up the kicking tee; had she instead been watching how the kick was going, she would likely have been able to crab the rebound and probably score. As it was, everyone was surprised, but Stanford got out of it.

Later in the first half Lauren Campbell did go over for GCU and it was 17-5 at halftime.

"I think the girls were a bit nervy in the first 20 minutes," said GCU Head Coach Lindsey Mahoney. "But then they started to find their rhythm and enough go-forward."

And they did, putting hooker Savonna McGlothan over after a few minutes of pressure to make it 17-10. But Stanford responded with a smart kick-and-chase game. Nocek's use of her teammates, her running, and her kicking earned her game MVP honors. With the chasers working hard and the front row of Leila Wang Gaouette, Vanessa Onuoha, and Hannah Ricioli setting the tone, Stanford started to take control of the momentum.

Washingtonhigh scored her second. Elly McKay sliced through for another, and finally Wang Gaouette finished it off. Autumn Coppock's try for GCU inched them closer but it wasn't enough.

"I am really proud of what they were able to do," said Stanford Head Coach Rich Ashfield. "They worked so hard. The kick-chase and their defensive effort was a big part of what we needed to accomplish."

It was an excellent showing from Stanford, and both teams should be commended for waiting patiently through the thunderstorms and then pitching up to play a high-level game.

 

 

Stanford 36
Tries: WashingtonHigh, Bocek, McKay, Wilhelm, Wan Gaouette
Convs: McKay 3

GCU 19
Tries: Campbell, McGlothan, Coppock
Convs: Garcia 2