Ilona Maher Scores Five Tries as Women's Rugby Defeats AIC, 54-21

Thursday, October 22

Springfield, Mass. / Ronald J. Abdow Field

6:00 PM

Quinnipiac University

AIC

Ilona Maher Scores Five Tries as Women's Rugby Defeats AIC, 54-21

10/22/2015 9:55:00 PM | Women's Rugby

By: Sports Information

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Quinnipiac women's rugby team improved to 6-2 overall and 5-1 in conference play on Thursday night with a 54-21 win over American International College. Sophomore inside center Ilona Maher (Burlington, Vermont) recorded a career-high five tries while adding an assist in the victory.

The Bobcats took on the AIC Yellow Jackets under the lights at Ronald J. Abdow Field in their first all-time matchup. AIC came into the contest at 3-2 in the National Collegiate Varsity Women's Rugby Association (NCVWRA) with two victories over Sacred Heart and a win over Norwich.

Head coach Becky Carlson said the opponent was "a fast, quick team up the middle," going on to say, "in the second half we had to buckle down and execute a game plan, the biggest change was being able to change directions and take advantage of the mismatches."

Maher got the Bobcats started early, scoring her first try of the day 10 minutes into the first half. About eight minutes later, senior wing Tesni Phillips (Cheshire, Connecticut) scored the second try off an AIC penalty. Junior fullback Maggie Myles (Emmitsburg, Maryland) assisted Phillips off the tap and go.

Just minutes later, Myles recorded her second assist of the day, feeding Maher for the third Bobcat try.

After scoring a fifth try at the 34 minute mark, Quinnipiac led at the half 20-14. Off another penalty, Ilona Maher took the tap and go to draw the defense and found freshman Emily Roskopf (Pleasanton, California) who hit the gap to score her 12^th try of the year.

Eight minutes into the second half, Phillips secured her second score of the game and third try of the season. Sophomore lock Lillian Weldon (Breckenridge, Colorado) assisted Phillips who scored out wide from the 22.

At the 16 minute mark in the second half, Quinnipiac stole the ball from the AIC scrum and sophomore flank Flora Poole (Christchurch, New Zealand) found Maher for her third try of the game. Seven minutes later, Rebecca Haight (Oconomowoc, Wisconsin) captured a try after receiving the pass from Hailey Wyatt (Breckenridge, Colorado) to set up the score.

Maher closed out the Bobcat scoring with back-to-back tries to end the game. Her fourth score came when Poole received the ball out of the scrum and off loaded to Haight who ran 40 yards down field and connected on a beautiful assist to the inside center for the try. Maher's team leading 15^th try of the season came unassisted in the 39^th minute.

Impressed by the sophomore's body of work, Carlson stated, "Ilona Maher had an absolutely amazing game."

Junior Madison Gegeckas (Dowington, Pennsylvania) finished the day 3-for-9 from the conversion mark and 1-for-1 in penalty kicks for nine total points.

The Bobcats return to Hamden on Saturday, October 31 for Senior Day and their final home contest of the season. Quinnipiac will host a rematch against the Army Black Knights at 12 p.m. from the QU Rugby Field. In the second game of the year, Army came back from a 24-7 deficit to secure a 29-24 victory in West Point, New York.