Women's Rugby Earns Shutout Road Victory at Middlebury

Le'Shauna Phinazee

MIDDLEBURY, Vermont - The Bowdoin College women's rugby team held off a challenge from Middlebury in its first road match of the season, 43-0, on Saturday.

The Polar Bears remain unbeaten at 2-0 this fall.

How It Happened

• The Polar Bears led 17-0 at halftime and outscored Middlebury 26-0 in the second period.
• Bowdoin's defense, led by a scrappy forward pack and scrumhalf Emily King, held a strong Middlebury attack from scoring, despite the Panthers maintaining possession and territory in the early phases.
• On a scrum awarded to Bowdoin for a Middlebury handling error, Bowdoin mounted a few phases of play, capped off by a strong run by Le'Shauna Phinazee who broke two tackles, one right before the goal line and surged for the line, extending to touch the ball down for the first try of the match.
• Strong rucking from Middlebury kept the ball out of Bowdoin's hands but the Polar Bears regained possession and moved upfield.  Captain Emily King took a quick-tap penalty play near the goalline and before the opposition could regroup to defend and scored under the posts.  Conversion kick was good by Paige Pfannenstiel.
• After a penalty kick to touch to gain field position, the Bowdoin forwards turned their lineout into a driving maul with Paige peeling off for the score in the corner. 
• Second half, the Polar Bears regrouped and handled better the defensive pressure and strong scrummaging and rucking from the Panthers.
• Le'Shauna Phinazee tallied her second try of the game off a perfect feed from prop Pamela Zabala, who carried the ball strongly upfield through multiple defenders.
• Moving from flanker to fullback, Pfannenstiel scored two more tries, supporting her backline with depth and speed.
• A highlight score of the game was a total team try: hooker Sarah Wilson started it off with a perfect lineout throw to jumper Anna Piotti at the 50 meter line, who fed the ball to King.  As scrumhalf, King linked with the entire backline in a series of smart running and clean passing, with winger Katie Craighill touching down for the score.
• Pfannenstiel converted 3 more kicks in the 2nd half

Up Next

• Bowdoin will enjoy a bye week before returning to action on October 10 at Amherst for a noon match