BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Cadets wrapped up league play with in style with a major 87-5 defeat over in-state rival Vermont. The victory completes the 6th year in a row the Cadets have gone undefeated in league play.
Sophomore fullback Rose Bernheim played an unstoppable match, rushing in for 3 tries on the day. With 11 total tries in league play, Bernheim once again finishes top of the try scoring tables in NERFU – her second year in a row achieving such a feat.
Joining Bernheim with 3 try performances were sophomore flyhalf Joya Clark and sophomore center Jackie Derocher. Derocher, who had participated in the Norwich Legacy march, walked 45 miles over the course of two days and arrived just in time to play the second half of the match.
The mud and pooling water slowed the initial Norwich attack. Tries from freshman center Vanessa Champagne, junior center Adria Pickin, Bernheim, and senior flanker Hannah Bushey and two conversions from Clark, put Norwich ahead 24-0 at the 31st minute mark. At the 36 minute mark, the Catamounts were able to put points on the board crashing through the Norwich defense. This try marked the first time in 5 matches the Cadets have been scored on.
"I think that once UVM scored on us we woke up a bit and decided to put more pressure on them," said NU coach Austin Hall.
Following the Catamount try, Norwich went on a scoring rampage, running in 5 tries over the next 15 minutes.
"We really picked it up in the second half as we became more comfortable with the ball and the conditions," added Hall. "I think this final match was just what we needed in preparation for the playoffs."
Norwich (5-0 NERFU, 10-0 Overall) will host Colby College on Sunday, October 23 for the quarter-finals of the NERFU tournament. The winner will advance to the semi-finals, hosted by Bowdoin College the next weekend.
Line-up: 1 – B. Annis; 2 – A. Amodeo (M. Weppner); 3 – J. Zaweski; 4 – C. McElroy; 5 – C. Aye; 6 – F. Ryder; 7 – H. Bushey; 8 – K. Hathaway (E. Baugus); 9 – E. Oor; 10 – J. Clark; 11 – A. Vogt; 12 – V. Champagne; 13 – A. Pickin (J. Derocher); 14 – C. Valentine (M. Dwyer); 15 – R. Bernheim
Tries: Bernheim – 3, Champagne – 3, Clark – 3, Derocher – 2, Aye, Bushey, Dwyer, Pickin
Conversions: Baugus 2/4, Clark 3/6, Derocher 1/5
Half – 36-5.
Final – 87-5.
