Start Perspective in NIRA Matchups This Weekend

09.13.2026College Women

Princeton players celebrate another try.

Author: Alex Goff

In the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association questions remain as to who can challenge at the very top and, as well, how good the standard is; this week told us a lot.

Tigers Burning Bright

Princeton pulled off their second straight lopsided win with a 91-0 dismissal of Long Island University. A cadre of four teams within DI are not pursuing a postseason and have a somewhat different schedule.

This is a good indication of the improvement Princeton is pushing for as they try to haul in their Ivy League rivals.

Malinka Kwerno and Myah Natorp both scored four tries in the win. Natorp was the team's top defensive player last season, and is starting to get the offense going, too.

Crimson Takes the Colors

Harvard laid down a challenge to the rest of the league with a dominant 76-0 shutout of Brown. Loose forward Gemma Ogoka scored three tries in a performance in which the entire team show well, especially on defense. Sana'a Lunon and Maya Hilger scored two while six others found paydirt.

The key, though, was ball movement and players setting up their teammates.

This result puts Sacred Heart's performance last week, a 26-24 loss to the Crimson, into stark perspective.

Lions Oh My

Stark perspective was perhaps the situation of the week in two other games featuring NIRA teams. Lindenwood hammered Queens University Charlotte 103-5. Played in a neutral venue in Hendersonville, Tenn., the game was the Lions' from the get-go.

Ava Reuter and Mia Saige Topasna each scored within the first 10 minutes. Queens did score to answer so it was 12-5 after 15 minutes. But Lindenwood soared after that.

Samantha Levine, Domniki Platis, and Sarin Rowland all scored their first tries of the season before Reuter added another. It was 34-5 at halftime.

It got worse for the Royals in the second half, with Renny Faletoi, Branwen Saville, Gabby Bryant, Gianna Veetutu, Aries Popoali'i, and Evelynn Danhof all touching down. Topasna scored her second, while . Lopez added her third conversion of the match in the 45th minute after Topasna scored her second try of the contest, while Lille Merlow added six conversions in the second half as the Lions went on to win the match by a final score of 103-5.

Mia Saige Topasna led the Lions offensively with three tries in the win over Queens, while Ava Reuter, Branwen Saville, and Samantha Levine each added two tries of their own.

"Awesome weekend! I was very proud to see the development from last week to this week in our focus points from the staff." said Head Coach Trevor Locke. "Road trips also always seem to present chances to adapt, and our team took them in stride, which was great to see!"

Big Green Takes on Big Challenge

Dartmouth hosted CRAA D1 champs Life University in a high-level out-of-NIRA matchup.

Isolated geographically and competitively, Life needs, and deserves, more competition considering how many of their players are getting to elite levels. This game was exactly what they needed. Dartmouth played tough and made Life fight for their tries. The final 15 minutes turned the tide for the Running Eagles, who were playing their first match of the season.

A flat pass to No. 8 Christina Opeti put her through to set up Life's first attacking chance. The Running Eagles swarmed in to consolidate and hooker Alyssa Hine was over.

Dartmouth's defense battened down a bit after that and the Big Green forced a drop that led to the hosts attacking wide off the scrum. Wing Lauren Cheng took off down the sideline and then unleashed a nice chip that she chased and recovered before speeding over the line for an excellent individual effort. Annie Henrich converted for a 7-5 Dartmouth lead.

Life had a good chance to regain the lead with Olivia Frisby on the edge. But she cut back to be safe. Instead a hard line by Opeti put her over to make it 10-7.

Dartmouth answered superbly, camping out in the Life 22 and finally seeing center Vasiti Turagavou dummying a player out of her way and taking the gap.

Another kick-and-chase from Cheng didn't result in a try, but eventually Dartmouth got a penalty, and Henrich slotted it for a 17-10 Dartmouth lead. But on the restart Dartmouth dropped the ball, giving Life an attacking scrum as the first half was ending. The Running Eagles took advantage, attacking in brutal fashion and flanker Zoe Zumbro crashed through. Cece Rose converted and it was tied 17-17 at the break.

Life was on the front foot early in the second half, but Dartmouth forced a turnover on their goalline. The pressure was still there, however, leading to flyhalf and captain Liberty Benitez zipping through. More pressure and Life spun it wide toFrisby finish in the corner. Life kept it up. A cut-through from Benitez saw her offload to center Hallie Fewless; she drew the last defender and had Hine on her right. The hooker showed a nice turn of pace to run in for her second.

Now it 34-17 and Life looked in control. Good, simply hands out set up wing Nevaeh Elliott for a try out wide for another Life try.

Dartmouth finally got some good field position, and after a penalty at the ruck, Henrich tapped and dove in between two defenders.

That made it 39-22, but it was Life who had the last word. Rose scored a nicely-taken team try and prop Jainaya Masunu finished off some hard work from the forwards to cap it all over at 49-22.

This was a good showing for Dartmouth, who were in the game through 60 before the final five tries put it away for Life. To put that result in perspective, Life's collegiate games last season averaged, per 80 minutes, 88-9.

The Running Eagles, as we said, need more teams to take on the challenge that Dartmouth took on.