One of the more interesting games to occur this weekend involved DI playoff-bound Quinnipiac – although all of the Bobcats’ games this season have been interesting. As an independent, the Bobcats have had the freedom to play anyone, anywhere. An ambitious schedule has yielded some losses, but the team is better for it, and that improvement came through in the team’s 36-17 win over then-undefeated West Chester Saturday.

“I think this season has been some of our best rugby because of our challenging schedule,” Quinnipiac coach Becky Carlson said. “We are grateful to be able to travel and see some of the toughest teams, which normally most programs do not get to meet until post-season.”

The team as a whole has benefitted, but the exposure coupled with some personnel shifts have seen some players bloom. Senior Shannon Durkin is chief among them. During the previous two games, the Oakland, Calif., native has scored 11 tries to now lead the squad with 16 this season.

“Durkin has stepped to produce tries and some of the most jaw-dropping runs I have seen from her in the last four seasons,” Carlson said. “Not to mention, second team Collegiate All-American Maggie Myles has really prepped the backline to be bold in its pursuit of yardage, and the team as a whole has recognized the holes and are filling them seamlessly.”

The duo accounted for the first two tries on Saturday. Durkin, who scored four on the day, initiated the scoreboard about six minutes in, cutting through the belly of the field for the try, which Aine McKeever converted for the 7-0 lead. Five minutes later, Myles went on a 30-meter juking spree down the sideline for the try.

West Chester had its chances but a stout Bobcat defense kept the visitors off the scoreboard. But 30 minutes in, West Chester senior Erin Brosius scored her side’s first points to close the gap, 12-5. Playing at a deficit was not something with which the Golden Rams were familiar. The Pennsylvania side entered Saturday’s match having outscored opponents 400-10.

Durkin scored two more tries, one on either side of the break, and McKeever tacked on two more conversions, 26-5. West Chester answered vigorously, moving the ball to Sophia Schwab for a converted try, and then Olivia Grassi for another five points.

But West Chester would get no closer than 26-17, as sophomore Christie Albers and Durkin added a try apiece for the 36-17 win.

The victory sees Quinnipiac improve to 5-3 and is a nice boost heading into the USA Rugby Women’s DI College Fall Championship, hosted by ACRA. In the Round of 16, Quinnipiac will play Army, a team that the Bobcats beat 50-17 earlier in the season.

“I think our game against Norwich this season was a tremendous fight where we just turned up the gas a little late,” Carlson reflected on the season. “Games like that are a representation of our improvement in our short career as a program. However, the fact that we have seen some intense, quality rugby games against West opponents like CWU [Central Washington University] and BYU in only eight games is more a testament to the 10,000-ft. perspective on how the women's college game is growing for the better.”

Provided that the DI brackets don’t alter – there have been some dropouts – the pair will play at Vassar College this weekend, and the victor will play the winner of Navy vs. Brown in the quarterfinals on Sunday, Nov. 16.

Review the entire DI brackets here.