Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
Harvard University
Women's Rugby Collects Thrilling Last Second Win Over Harvard on Senior Day
October 29, 2022 | Women's Rugby
| Game 6 | |
|---|---|
| SCORE | Army West Point Black Knights 21, Harvard Crimson 19 |
| RECORDS | Army West Point (5-1), Harvard (5-2) |
| LOCATION | Anderson Rugby Complex - West Point, NY |
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Army West Point women's rugby topped Harvard 21-19 in an epic battle at Anderson Rugby Complex on Senior Day. The game came down to one final kick, with cadet Alissa Eisenhart knocking in her third penalty kick of the contest to give Army the victory and sole possession of second place in the NIRA standings.
Both teams began the day with one loss on the season at the hands of Dartmouth, giving the contest major implications in the NIRA seeding. After a stagnant start, the Crimson struck first with a try from Lennox London that would eventually make the score 7-0 following a conversion. Army started to chip away, with Alissa Eisenhart knocking in a penalty kick in the 19th minute to make the score 7-3.
Each team struggled to maintain possession and move forward, with Julia Riekena eventually breaking through the defense and finding space 34 minutes in with a burst through the middle to get Army within the 22-meter line. Riekena's run saw the ball come loose and fall to Olivia Popp, who touched down her first try of the season. Eisenhart made good on the conversion to make it 10-7. However, Harvard would add a try on the final possession of the half, bringing the score to 12-10 in favor of the road side through 40 minutes of play.
With the Black knights needing a spark to regain the momentum, it was provided by co-captain Kaylee Cargile, who danced around multiple Harvard defenders before touching down for a go-ahead try in the 46th minute. The Cadets were able to extend the lead to 18-12 six minutes later through Eisenhart, who continued to pace the Army attack with her kicking prowess.
With both teams seeing players carded and a Harvard player seeing a red, the physicality and bruising effort from this game is unmatched amongst other NIRA fixtures. The Crimson was knocking on the door with multiple attempts on the try line with Army refusing to let any player touch the ball down. Eventually, Harvard scored a try in the 70th minute on the far left corner of the pitch to make the score 18-17. Chloe Headland was able to put through a miraculous conversion under pressure, giving Harvard a late 19-18 lead.
With the crowd behind them and thoughts of a semifinal matchup at Anderson, the Black Knights refused to go down quietly in the closing minutes. Inching forward, the Cadets were able to give themselves one last opportunity with triple zeroes on the clock. Alissa Eisenhart lined up the penalty kick, and put it through the uprights to give Army the win in what will go down as a classic matchup between the two collegiate powerhouses.
Cadets Capsules
- Alissa Eisenhart paced Army with 11 points and has put through 22 successful conversions this season.
- Olivia Popp scored her first try of the season, while Kaylee Cargile notched her second of the campaign from the front row.
- Army has won back-to-back contests with Harvard dating back to last season.
Up Next
Army will close out the regular season at home next Saturday at 1 p.m. against Sacred Heart.
