GRR: University New England
Bowdoin took the NIRA Women's DIII Championship Saturday in a 29-0 shutout of University of New England, but don't let the scoreline fool you, it was a tough slog for the Polar Bears.
Held at Dartmouth College's Burham Field in Hanover, NH, the DIII final was played in cold but sunny conditions, ideal for a team that wanted to move quickly. The game was shown live on ESPN+.
Reactions to finishing 2nd in NIRA had a story all their own: there was the steadfast stoicism of Army, the tearful regret of West Chester and … for University of New England … joy.
UNE had endured their struggles through the season, and while they hoped and played to win, knew that it would be an enormous uphill battle against Bowdoin. So 2nd place? Heck yeah!
The finals matchups for the NIRA championship weekend are set after a couple of surprises Saturday.
Dartmouth beat Brown as expected, winning 56-5. Lilly Durbin paced the Big Green with four tries while Kristin Bitter added two.
The NIRA playoffs are upon us, with Finals Weekend at West Point set for November 20-21.
Here’s how it’s all looking:
