Army West Point Athletics
Sunday, November 22
Providence, RI
1 PM
Army West Point
vs
Quinnipiac
Women’s Rugby Battles Quinnipiac for NCWVRA Title
November 21, 2015 | Women's Rugby
WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Army West Point women's rugby squad will continue its run toward a national championship as the Black Knights match up with Quinnipiac in the National Collegiate Women's Varsity Rugby Association (NCWVRA) championship game.
Kickoff from host Brown University is slated for 1 p.m. ET with the winner to be crowned the first NCWVRA champion.
HOW TO FOLLOW
As always, fans can visit www.GoArmyWestPoint.com for up-to-date information and follow the Black Knights on Twitter @ArmyWP_WRugby and Instagram @armywpwrugby.
THE GAME
The Army West Point women's rugby team will continue its run In the NCWVRA Championships, squaring off with Quinnipiac in the title game. The Black Knights are coming off of a 25-21 win over American International College in the semifinal, knocking off the Yellow Jackets for the third time on the season.
Quinnipiac enters the game as the top seed, coming off of a 36-22 win over Norwich in the semifinal round.
ARMY'S LAST TIME OUT
The Black Knights are coming off of a 25-21 win over Northeast Conference rival AIC in the semifinal round.
"That was a typical Army vs. AIC game, coming down to the wire again," said head coach Bill LeClerc. "Both teams had to deal with some trying conditions and both struggled to find any rhythm, which made it a messy game. We'll take it and get prepared for Sunday."
The Black Knights dominated from the start, taking a 15-7 lead into the half as sophomore Nicole Heavirland accounted for all 15 of Army's first half points.
Heavirland dotted down in the 13th minute, converting her own score, to put Army up 7-0. The flyhalf then kicked for points in the 30th minute to give Army the 10-0 advantage.
AIC got on the board with just five minutes remaining in the half, cutting Army's lead to 10-7, but Heavirland would respond just three minutes later, scoring her second of the game to send Army into the break with the 15-7 lead.
Army kept the pressure on in the second half, as Sydney Dossett found the try zone in the 50th minute to give Army the 20-7 advantage.
The Yellow Jackets kept it interesting, pulling within six of the Army lead midway through the second half, but a try from Carissa Pekny with seven minutes remaining gave Army the 25-14 lead. AIC scored in the waning minutes of the second half, but Army was able to hold on for the 25-21 win.
LAST MEETING
Army and Quinnipiac last met on Oct. 31, as Quinnipiac claimed a 20-12 win on its home turf to capture the conference title.
Mariah Caid-Loos and Lindy Clark recorded tries with Nicole Heavirland successfully converted one kick.
Quinnipiac took the early lead, getting up by a score of 15-0 through 40 minutes of action. The Bobcats kept the pressure on in the second half, scoring in the 54th minute to take the 20-0 advantage.
Army got on the board just five minutes later as captain Caid-Loos dotted down. Heavirland's kick was good as the Black Knights cut the Quinnipiac lead to 20-7.
Clark would score in the 71st minute, but the Black Knights were unable to finish the comeback, as the Bobcats captured the 20-12 win.
ARMY-QUINNIPIAC HISTORY
The Black Knights and Yellow Jackets have met a total of four times in program history with the Bobcats holding the 3-1 series advantage. Army's lone win came earlier this season as the Black Knights captured a 29-24 victory from Anderson Rugby Complex.
Last season, the Bobcats swept the two-game series. Quinnipiac also earned a 20-12 win in the conference's regular season finale on Oct. 31.
HEAVIRLAND SHARES AAA HONORS
Following her impressive performance in Army's wins over Navy and Harvard, sophomore Nicole Heavirland earned her second Army Athletic Association Athlete of the Week nod on Monday. Heavirland shares the honor with hockey goaltender Parker Gahagen.
Heavirland paced the women's rugby offense over the weekend, recording five tries, 11 conversions and one penalty kick in the pair of wins. Her offensive output accounted for 42 percent of the Black Knights' scoring on the weekend.
On the season, Heavirland has dotted down 13 times this season, tops amongst the Army squad. Serving as both fly half and kicker, she's also added 32 conversions and two penalty kicks in eight games.
This is the second Athlete of the Week honor for Heavirland this season. She first earned the distinction on Sept. 14 following a four-try performance in the win over eventual conference champion Quinnipiac.
CRITTINGTON NAMED AAA ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Entering the game in the early portion of the first half, following an injury to the team's vice-captain, Zye Crittington scored three tries in the Army West Point women's rugby team's 68-15 victory over Norwich. For her efforts, Crittington has been named the Army Athletic Association Athlete of the Week.
Sidelined due to injury, vice-captain Chioma Odocha left the contest early, forcing Crittington into the game at an unfamiliar position. Generally an inside center, Crittington quickly adapted to the wing position, dotting down in the 29th, 44th and 48th minutes.
The tries marked the second, third and fourth, scored in the plebe's young career, as she earned her first collegiate try in the win over American International two weeks prior.
CLARK GARNERS AAA RECOGNITION
Three first half scores in the Army West Point women's rugby team's 43-17 victory over conference rival Norwich earned firstie Lindy Clark Army Athletic Association Athlete of the Week recognition.
This is the first career AAA Athlete of the Week honor for Clark and the second consecutive week in which a member of the women's rugby team has earned the distinction.
Clark opened up the scoring for the Black Knights in the eighth minute, cutting the Norwich lead to 10-5. She scored again in the 11th minute to tie the game, as teammate Nicole Heavirland converted the score to put Army up 12-10.
The Cadets regained the lead with a try and conversion in the 16th minute, but Clark's third try of the afternoon in the 37th minute tied it up once again. Heavirland converted her second kick of the afternoon to send the Black Knights into the half with the two-point advantage. From that point on, Army held Norwich off the scoresheet, earning its first win over the national powerhouse in 15s action.
HEAVIRLAND COPS AAA HONORS
After leading the Army West Point women's rugby squad to a 29-24 victory over conference foe Quinnipiac, Heavirland was named the Army Athletic Association Athlete of the Week on Sept. 14.
This is the first AAA Athlete of the Week nod of the season and second of her career for Heavirland.
Competing in her first collegiate 15s game, Heavirland scored the opening try of the game for the Black Knights in the 38th minute of action, sending Army into the break down 14-7.
With the Bobcats holding a 24-12 advantage mid-way through the second half, Heavirland began her scoring onslaught, rattling off three straight tries in the 61st, 69th and 82nd minutes.
In the 69th minute she tied the game at 24-24 after successfully converting her own try. With stoppage time expiring, she found the try zone in the 82nd minute to put the Black Knights on top 29-24 and ensure the win.
In total, the Whitefish, Mont., native accounted for 22 of the team's 29 points on the afternoon.
MEET YOUR CAPTAINS
Leading the 2015-16 squad will be captain Mariah Caid-Loos and vice-captain Odocha.
Caid-Loos posted four tries in 15s action in the 2014-15 season before falling to injury. Odocha earned three tries in 15s action and four on the 7s pitch.
Since the start of the 2015-16 year, Caid-Loos has posted one score, while Odocha has earned three.
CLASS RINGS
The Class of 2016 received their class rings in a ceremony held at Trophy Point on Aug. 28, 2015. A time-honored West Point tradition, the Class of 2016's rings contain gold from 356 West Point graduates donated to the West Point Association of Graduates in addition to steel melted down from the World Trade Center.
Kickoff from host Brown University is slated for 1 p.m. ET with the winner to be crowned the first NCWVRA champion.
HOW TO FOLLOW
As always, fans can visit www.GoArmyWestPoint.com for up-to-date information and follow the Black Knights on Twitter @ArmyWP_WRugby and Instagram @armywpwrugby.
THE GAME
The Army West Point women's rugby team will continue its run In the NCWVRA Championships, squaring off with Quinnipiac in the title game. The Black Knights are coming off of a 25-21 win over American International College in the semifinal, knocking off the Yellow Jackets for the third time on the season.
Quinnipiac enters the game as the top seed, coming off of a 36-22 win over Norwich in the semifinal round.
ARMY'S LAST TIME OUT
The Black Knights are coming off of a 25-21 win over Northeast Conference rival AIC in the semifinal round.
"That was a typical Army vs. AIC game, coming down to the wire again," said head coach Bill LeClerc. "Both teams had to deal with some trying conditions and both struggled to find any rhythm, which made it a messy game. We'll take it and get prepared for Sunday."
The Black Knights dominated from the start, taking a 15-7 lead into the half as sophomore Nicole Heavirland accounted for all 15 of Army's first half points.
Heavirland dotted down in the 13th minute, converting her own score, to put Army up 7-0. The flyhalf then kicked for points in the 30th minute to give Army the 10-0 advantage.
AIC got on the board with just five minutes remaining in the half, cutting Army's lead to 10-7, but Heavirland would respond just three minutes later, scoring her second of the game to send Army into the break with the 15-7 lead.
Army kept the pressure on in the second half, as Sydney Dossett found the try zone in the 50th minute to give Army the 20-7 advantage.
The Yellow Jackets kept it interesting, pulling within six of the Army lead midway through the second half, but a try from Carissa Pekny with seven minutes remaining gave Army the 25-14 lead. AIC scored in the waning minutes of the second half, but Army was able to hold on for the 25-21 win.
LAST MEETING
Army and Quinnipiac last met on Oct. 31, as Quinnipiac claimed a 20-12 win on its home turf to capture the conference title.
Mariah Caid-Loos and Lindy Clark recorded tries with Nicole Heavirland successfully converted one kick.
Quinnipiac took the early lead, getting up by a score of 15-0 through 40 minutes of action. The Bobcats kept the pressure on in the second half, scoring in the 54th minute to take the 20-0 advantage.
Army got on the board just five minutes later as captain Caid-Loos dotted down. Heavirland's kick was good as the Black Knights cut the Quinnipiac lead to 20-7.
Clark would score in the 71st minute, but the Black Knights were unable to finish the comeback, as the Bobcats captured the 20-12 win.
ARMY-QUINNIPIAC HISTORY
The Black Knights and Yellow Jackets have met a total of four times in program history with the Bobcats holding the 3-1 series advantage. Army's lone win came earlier this season as the Black Knights captured a 29-24 victory from Anderson Rugby Complex.
Last season, the Bobcats swept the two-game series. Quinnipiac also earned a 20-12 win in the conference's regular season finale on Oct. 31.
HEAVIRLAND SHARES AAA HONORS
Following her impressive performance in Army's wins over Navy and Harvard, sophomore Nicole Heavirland earned her second Army Athletic Association Athlete of the Week nod on Monday. Heavirland shares the honor with hockey goaltender Parker Gahagen.
Heavirland paced the women's rugby offense over the weekend, recording five tries, 11 conversions and one penalty kick in the pair of wins. Her offensive output accounted for 42 percent of the Black Knights' scoring on the weekend.
On the season, Heavirland has dotted down 13 times this season, tops amongst the Army squad. Serving as both fly half and kicker, she's also added 32 conversions and two penalty kicks in eight games.
This is the second Athlete of the Week honor for Heavirland this season. She first earned the distinction on Sept. 14 following a four-try performance in the win over eventual conference champion Quinnipiac.
CRITTINGTON NAMED AAA ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Entering the game in the early portion of the first half, following an injury to the team's vice-captain, Zye Crittington scored three tries in the Army West Point women's rugby team's 68-15 victory over Norwich. For her efforts, Crittington has been named the Army Athletic Association Athlete of the Week.
Sidelined due to injury, vice-captain Chioma Odocha left the contest early, forcing Crittington into the game at an unfamiliar position. Generally an inside center, Crittington quickly adapted to the wing position, dotting down in the 29th, 44th and 48th minutes.
The tries marked the second, third and fourth, scored in the plebe's young career, as she earned her first collegiate try in the win over American International two weeks prior.
CLARK GARNERS AAA RECOGNITION
Three first half scores in the Army West Point women's rugby team's 43-17 victory over conference rival Norwich earned firstie Lindy Clark Army Athletic Association Athlete of the Week recognition.
This is the first career AAA Athlete of the Week honor for Clark and the second consecutive week in which a member of the women's rugby team has earned the distinction.
Clark opened up the scoring for the Black Knights in the eighth minute, cutting the Norwich lead to 10-5. She scored again in the 11th minute to tie the game, as teammate Nicole Heavirland converted the score to put Army up 12-10.
The Cadets regained the lead with a try and conversion in the 16th minute, but Clark's third try of the afternoon in the 37th minute tied it up once again. Heavirland converted her second kick of the afternoon to send the Black Knights into the half with the two-point advantage. From that point on, Army held Norwich off the scoresheet, earning its first win over the national powerhouse in 15s action.
HEAVIRLAND COPS AAA HONORS
After leading the Army West Point women's rugby squad to a 29-24 victory over conference foe Quinnipiac, Heavirland was named the Army Athletic Association Athlete of the Week on Sept. 14.
This is the first AAA Athlete of the Week nod of the season and second of her career for Heavirland.
Competing in her first collegiate 15s game, Heavirland scored the opening try of the game for the Black Knights in the 38th minute of action, sending Army into the break down 14-7.
With the Bobcats holding a 24-12 advantage mid-way through the second half, Heavirland began her scoring onslaught, rattling off three straight tries in the 61st, 69th and 82nd minutes.
In the 69th minute she tied the game at 24-24 after successfully converting her own try. With stoppage time expiring, she found the try zone in the 82nd minute to put the Black Knights on top 29-24 and ensure the win.
In total, the Whitefish, Mont., native accounted for 22 of the team's 29 points on the afternoon.
MEET YOUR CAPTAINS
Leading the 2015-16 squad will be captain Mariah Caid-Loos and vice-captain Odocha.
Caid-Loos posted four tries in 15s action in the 2014-15 season before falling to injury. Odocha earned three tries in 15s action and four on the 7s pitch.
Since the start of the 2015-16 year, Caid-Loos has posted one score, while Odocha has earned three.
CLASS RINGS
The Class of 2016 received their class rings in a ceremony held at Trophy Point on Aug. 28, 2015. A time-honored West Point tradition, the Class of 2016's rings contain gold from 356 West Point graduates donated to the West Point Association of Graduates in addition to steel melted down from the World Trade Center.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Rugby
/ Women's Rugby
/ Women's Rugby
/ Women's Rugby
/ Women's Rugby
/ Women's Rugby
/ Women's Rugby
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