NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The Norwich University women's rugby team kicked off the 2024 15s season in a commanding display on the Graveyard Pitch, cruising past the University of Maine Orono, 65-7, on Saturday morning as part of the Homecoming Weekend festivities.

Seven different Cadets scored tries, spearheaded by a pair of tries each from Carlyan Vigbedor (Centreville, Va.), Leslie Malin (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Elinah Liaina (Killeen, Texas), and Shannon Hobbs (Burlington, N.C.).  Katelyn Looney (Weymouth, Mass.), Octavia Crawford (Shelburne Falls, Mass.), and Katherine Suarez (Gloucester City, N.J.) rounded out the tries with one apiece.

In addition to her try, Crawford let the team in points, also racking up four successful conversion kicks to finish with 13 points on the day.  Madeline Ortiz (Lancaster, Calif.) also converted on a kick, adding an extra two points to Norwich's impressive tally.

The Cadets held the Black Bears scoreless for nearly the entire contest, as the University of Maine got on the board late on a penalty try at the end of the match.

Norwich's resounding weekend comes on the heels of the program celebrating its 40th anniversary with the official opening of the Legendary Legacy 40th Anniversary exhibit at the Boyett-Ingram-Clark Clubhouse on Friday afternoon.  The Cadets hosted the weekend's festivities, including Saturday's match, in the presence of a large group of women's rugby alumni.

The Cadets will now look ahead to this Saturday, Sept. 28, when the ruggers travel to Bristol, R.I. for a 1:00 p.m. bout at Roger Williams University.