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Rematch Looms: West Chester v UVA

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Rematch Looms: West Chester v UVA

A trip to the final four is on the line tomorrow.

The Mid-Atlantic region sees a rematch of the Mason Dixon conference final in tomorrow's DI quarterfinals: West Chester vs. UVA. The pair won their respective Round of 16 matches convincingly, as the Rams beat James Madison 82-0, and UVA topped Virginia Tech 74-7.

 

Aalea Ray led West Chester with 28 points on three tries, a penalty and five conversions. All American Nicole Benedetti matched the freshman’s try count, bagging three of her own scores in the first 40, while Mia Schweizerhof, Anna Bocchino, Suz Eitler, and Adriana Zeiders all dotted down as well. Katie Walston contributed two conversions, too.

UVA boasted similar stats. Peyton Larus scored three tries in the first half before leaving the pitch, and All American scrumhalf Bri Kim added 19 points on a try and seven conversions. Joy Jefferson, Jess Glaudemans, Zoe Schmidt (2), Christy Haney, Laura Watkins, and Summer Jones added tries as well.

So what do the coaches think about tomorrow’s rematch?

“We are looking forward to it,” UVA coach Nancy Kechner asserted. “They were fun to play, but it was physical.”

UVA is embracing its underdog status and looking to triumph over a class-act varsity program.

“We’re proud and happy to be playing entertaining rugby,” Kechner added. “If we play our game, it could be awesome. If we play their game – well, not so good.”

West Chester coach Tony DeRemer echoed Kechner’s concerns.

“In the first meeting with UVA, we allowed them to draw us into a battle around the contact area and the ruck,” the coach remembered the conference final. “For a successful game tomorrow, we'll have to play our style of game and get the ball into as many of our hard runners’ hands as possible.  UVA thrives on turnover ball for attack, so we'll have to keep possession of our ball and turn it into phases. I look forward to a very competitive match tomorrow.”

Who will assert its game plan over the other? That question will begin to be answered at 12 p.m. ET, and the victor will return to Pittsburgh in two weeks for the spring Final Four.