ADRIAN, Mich. -- Notre Dame College women's rugby opened the season on Friday night by traveling to Michigan to take on the Adrian College Bulldogs. NDC defeated Adrian by a score of 51-22.
 
The Falcons opened the match with a huge first hit on the Bulldogs' Jenesis Dotson from senior Mary McLoughlin. McLoughlin's hit, voted hit of the match by her teammates, set the tone early for the Falcons who dominated in the early minutes. A few phases later, senior Lucy Leatherman's work created turnover ball and the Falcons were able to capitalize, getting on the score sheet first with a try from sophomore Rosa Treece. Treece started the match at halfback, making her debut for the team after redshirting her freshman year with a torn ACL. Also making a return to the field from injury was redshirt senior Alexa Piazza, who played a full 80 at open side flanker and made several key tackles throughout the match.
 
Junior Paula Nieves put her name in the scoresheet next, powering in for an opportunistic try of her own. Lucy Leatherman hit the conversion after to put NDC up, 12-0, nine minutes into the first half. However, the Bulldogs would weather the early storm and strike back through Liz Dowding and Kiki Peters, who capitalized on an uncharacteristic turnover and a kickoff miscue to level the score at 12.
 
McLoughlin continued to impress, this time on the offensive end, gaining more than 50m on her way to scoring the first of her two tries on the day. After a long run to set up the Falcons in good field position, McLoughlin punched into the try zone from a penalty reset to break the deadlock, 17-12. Adrian once again showed their mettle coming back off the kickoff to dot it down to the left of the posts, knotting the score up 17 all.
 
Led by senior captain Kelly Wallenhorst, the Falcons worked the width of the field to stretch a solid Adrian College defense. Wallenhorst and the back line spread the ball wide to sophomore Kylie Mixter, who entered the game midway through the first half, provided an immediate spark off the bench. Mixter would score on her first touch of the game after beautiful service out wide from freshman Hannah Mitchell.
 
Continuing the back and forth that characterized the first half, Adrian would score minutes later to knot up the score at 22. Undeterred, the Falcons would make one final push before the end of the half behind the stellar back line play of sophomore Maizie Kies. Kies sliced through Adrian's back line defense accelerating away for the last try of the first half. Lucy Leatherman hit the conversion putting NDC up for good, 27-22.
 
Coming out of the halftime break, the Falcons seemed to settle in defensively, led by the efforts of junior prop Alivia Leatherman, who came off the bench as a tune up before she leaves for Ireland to compete with the USA Eagles later this month.

Junior Charlee McCormick helped bottle up the middle of the field with punishing physicality while sophomores Emilie Dobranski and Emalyse Higgins locked down the outside of the field. Lucy Leatherman's try saving tackle down the side helped preserve a clean sheet for the Falcons in the second half.
 
In addition to playing lock down defense, the Falcons found their scoring touch in the second frame by putting four more tries on the board. McLoughlin, Nieves, and Kies all touched down for second tries while senior Kori Dawkins broke away on a long scoring run for an impressive try. Alivia Leatherman added a conversion for a final score of 51-22.
 
Head coach Vanessa Marsh was especially pleased by the play of first year player Faith Moses, who not only started after only two weeks of rugby experience but made notable contributions with strong support play across the field.

"For our first game of the season, I'm beyond proud of my girls," Marsh said. "We have a lot of first time rugby players with less than two weeks experience who really stepped up to the plate. My returners have worked tirelessly to get them up to speed and get us into match shape. I'm happy to say their hard work both on and off the field has paid off in our first official win of the season. I'm looking forward to seeing these girls continue to grow and excel as the season continues."
 
NDC: 
Starters: Charlee McCormick (Nneka Scott 72'), Avery Bruzda, Mary McLoughlin, Paula Nieves, Kori Dawkins, Faith Moses (Alivia Leatherman 43'), Alexa Piazza, Lucy Leatherman, Rosa Treece, Kelly Wallenhorst, Dierdra Dorazio (Kylie Mixter 25'), Maizie Kies, Hannah Mitchell, Emalyse Higgins (Jada Diaz 71'), Emilie Dobranski. 
 
Scoring: 
R. Treece 5'
Nieves 10' (L. Leatherman), 78'
McLoughlin 21' 53'
Mixter 31'
Kies 39', 74'
Dawkins 72' (A. Leatherman)
 
Conversions 
L. Leatherman 1/3
A. Leatherman 1/4