In a sunny afternoon showdown at the US Naval Academy, the Quinnipiac women's rugby team displayed a commanding performance against Navy, culminating in a decisive 38-3 victory in NIRA D-I action Saturday.

The match kicked off with Quinnipiac quickly setting the pace, as Layla Cox made an early mark by scoring a try from a well-executed lineout and maul sequence.—Navy stopped the maul well enough but the Bobcats went wide and showcased some smooth ball-handling to put Cox away.

This set the tone for the game, with Anna Wright, Gillian Mason, Kat Storey, Anna Van Dyk, and Lily Morris each adding to the tally, pushing the halftime score to an impressive 26-0. Fodhla Ni Bhraonoin contributed with four successful conversions.

Navy spent much of the first half in their own 22. They battled hard but found it difficult to kick clear, and little handling errors hurt them, as well.

Quinnipiac's good ball handling and cohesive team play were evident throughout the match. Prop Gabrielle Appiah showed off her powerful running, getting her side some go-forward, while the entire backline shone in their ability to exploit space.

On the other side, Navy struggled to find their footing, but Megan Alvarez put up a valiant defense, and flanker Miracle Haynes alongside wing Alexis Rohrbach working tirelessly despite the tough opposition. Rohrbach made some key defensive plays and fullback/scrumhalf Mia Young got stuck in, foiling a sure Quinnipiac try on a hustle play.

Navy can point to the second half scoreline of 12-3 (Alvarez getting the penalty goal) as a sign of improvement, but they were up against a very strong Quinnipiac side.

Post-match, players reflected on their performance with a focus on their preparedness and team spirit. Van Dyk remarked, "We came in with our heads strong and the goal to work really hard and did what we came to do."

Gabrielle Appiah kept the win in perspective, too. "We just think that every single game we've got to play like it's our last game ever."

This article was produced in part by using the UReportNow game report system. To find out how you can use this system for your team, school, or conference email us here!