Rugby Hosts Quinnipiac for Home Opener

Paola Arredondo Almeida women's rugby action versus Army

Paola Arredondo Almeida ’27

Photo by: Kelly Marsh

9/22/2023 2:26:00 PM | Women's Rugby

The Big Green see 15s action in Hanover for the first time since the 2022 NIRA Championship

By: Kyle Relf

MATCH 3
Dartmouth (2-0, 1-0 NIRA) vs. Quinnipiac (1-1, 1-0 NIRA)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 23 | 1 p.m.
Location: Hanover, N.H. | Brophy Field
All-Time Series: 6-2
Last Meeting: Nov. 12, 2022 (W, 47-14)

LAST TIME OUT
Dartmouth earned a dominant 41-12 win over Army West Point last Saturday to improve to 2-0. The Big Green and Black Knights met in the 2021 NIRA Championship and battled in a close regular season meeting last season, but Army West Point was no match in Dartmouth's NIRA opener. Katelyn Walker and Nicole Ihensekhien scored two tries apiece in the promising early-season win.

LAST YEAR'S MEETINGS
The Big Green also hosted Quinnipiac for the home opener in 2022 and earned a dominant 41-10 victory with tries from several seniors who have since departed, but returners Nyah Cordero and Nicole Ihensekhien were in the mix. Simone Bautista, Sadie Schier and Ihensekhien each scored in the semifinal matchup that followed in November.

20 STRAIGHT
The Sept. 9 win over Army West Point made it 20 straight for the Big Green, dating back to the start of the 2021 season.

SCORING BREAKDOWN
Simone Bautista leads Dartmouth with 20 points via four tries. Asialeata Meni and Nicole Ihensekhien both have 15 points (both via three tries). Abbey Savin (four conversions) and Abby Kayser (six conversions) have split the kicking duties.

SCOUTING QUINNIPIAC
Quinnipiac had a forgettable start to the season with a 55-14 loss to Harvard on the opening saturday of the season. A meeting with non-NIRA Navy marked the Bobcats' first win, 46-3, on Sept. 16. Five different players scored tries and Kelsey Thomas twice found paydirt.

EARLY LOOK AT NIRA CONTENDERS
2022 runner-up Harvard is 3-0 with wins over Quinnipiac, American International College and Queens (N.C.), and Sacred Heart is also undefeated through three matches, having defeated Army West Point, Brown and Mount St. Mary's.

HOMESTAND CONTINUES
The home stretch rolls on for the Big Green as they host formidable non-NIRA Lindenwood on Saturday, Oct. 7. Eyes across the league will be on Hanover on Saturday, Oct. 21 when Harvard comes to Brophy Field for a rematch of the 2022 championship match, rounding out Dartmouth's three-match homestand.