CALEDONIA, Mich. - Davenport played against Notre Dame College on their home turf on October 8th. The final score against the Falcons was 59-21 resulting in the third win of their 15's season and leaving the Panthers 3-0. Despite the score, this was still a tough match for the Panthers. Notre Dame College brought an intensity and composure that allowed Davenport to make mistakes, but as the game progressed, they were able to really settle in and find where to exploit the Falcons mistakes. This led to an entertaining match for fans in the stands, despite a few injuries. After halftime all nerves were gone, and the Panthers knew they had to lock-in to pull through the match and secure another win on home turf. A lot of women on the team had opportunities to play positions that may be new to them, but they were able to fill in effortlessly. Lineouts this game were clean and allowed Davenport to apply the pressure they needed on defense to come up hard and on multiple occasions they were allowed to obtain possession of the ball again. Scrums continue to progress as their season moves forward. In the back line, both Jasmine Peralta and Ellis McKay made breaks on the outside, getting the team closer and closer to their try line. Abbi Kowalczk was able to shatter Notre Dame College's defensive line and score on multiple occasions, including a half field run straight off of their kickoff.
This game was an imperative match in Davenport's preparation for their 15's match against Navy next weekend on October 15th. Playing against the Falcons was not an easy match, but one filled with learning opportunities and ways for the Panthers to really practice stepping up their game.
Scoring Breakdown for Davenport v. Notre Dame College
Abbi Kowalczk - 4 tries (20 points)
Ashley Cowdrey - 1 try (5 points)
Jasmine Hernandez - 1 try (5 points)
Anise Tuia - 1 try (5 points)
Addy Ochoa - 1 try (5 points)
Ashleigh DeWitt - 7 conversions and 1 try (19 points)
Next week our Davenport Women's Rugby team takes on Navy on Saturday October 15th on the DU Turf Field. Kickoff will be at 2:00 PM.
Story by: Taylor Badal
