In a clash of the two national women's varsity college finalists from last year, Quinnipiac opened up their regular season with a 32-19 win over West Point.

This was the first game in the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association, a ten-team (in DI) competition for varsity women's programs. The game was back-and-forth through the first half. The Bobcats took an early lead thanks to co-captain Ilona Maher, but scrumhalf MacKenzie Garner zipped over to tie it. Maher scored another for a 10-5 Quinnipiac lead, but wing Rebecca Stipp chased down a kick to tie it, and Bayleigh Gable slotted the conversion for a 12-10 West Point lead.

Maher scored her third to make it 12-17, but then right before halftime some snappy defensive pressure set up a try for Sydney Hawkins. Gable's second conversion made it 19-17 to Army at the break.

But the second half belonged to Quinnipiac. Emily Roskopf raced down the sideline to put the Bobcats ahead, and then Flora Poole gathered an overthrown lineout ball, and weaved and powered through some pretty desultory West Point tackling for an impressive try. 

Constant pressure set up Rebecca Haight for the score that sealed it at 32-19.