Lindenwood University won the 2021 CRC women's bracket with a tense, physical 10-7 win over Life University.

It was no surprise that Life and Lindenwood met in the final, as both were favored to get there quite heavily. Both the Lions and the Running Eagles produced as advertised. Life posted results of 45-0, 46-0, and 47-0 in beating Allegheny, Iowa State, and Wayne State in getting to the final.

Lindenwood beat Northern Lights 38-0, Iowa 54-0, and UNI 44-0. So neither team had given up a point going into the championship game.

The game itself was enormously physical and neither offense was able to get through. Lindenwood was able to break through along the left wing only for Life to drive them into touch. Put under pressure, Lindenwood was finally able to inch its way out of trouble and find space for Caring de Freitas to burst around the outside for a5-0 lead.

Life then had a prime scoring chance when a backline passing move was muffed by Lindenwood and Life charged in near the Lions' line. Somehow Lindenwood was able to recover enough to defend their line, and then a knock-on ended the first half.

In the second half good ball movement from Lindenwood saw Sativa Tarau-Peehikuru race in to make it 10-0. It was almost 15-0 as Lindenwood once again came close to scoring. But Life turned the ball over and burst through from long range. The conversion was good and it was 10-7.

Of course it was going to be that close, and Lindenwood tried to run out the clock. In the end they got a penalty and seemed poised to run one more try in at the corner. Life defended desperately, and in the mellee, which was indeed a melee, the ball was knocked forward, and the game was over.

It was a supremely intense game, and Life was very close to getting that final try, but Lindenwood held on. Sativa Tarau-Peehikuru won the MVP award, and was moved to tears upon hearing she was picked.