A late blocked kick gives Army a crucial 12–5 victory over Lindenwood, Dartmouth scores 24 unanswered points against Sacred Heart, and Davenport strengthens its Division II/III championship credentials with a 70–5 win over Bowdoin.
Army delivered one of the most consequential results of the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) women’s rugby season Saturday, defeating Lindenwood 12–5 at West Point after a late blocked kick produced the decisive try.
The victory strengthened Army’s position in the Division I semifinal race and dealt a significant setback to Lindenwood, which entered the weekend fifth in the NIRA power rankings, immediately behind the Black Knights.
Elsewhere, Dartmouth overturned a second-half deficit to defeat Sacred Heart 38–22, Navy celebrated Senior Day with a 36–19 victory over Queens, and Brown recorded a 34–12 win against Southern Nazarene.
In the combined Division II/III championship pathway, Davenport overwhelmed Bowdoin 70–5, while Frostburg State edged Mount St. Mary’s 15–12.
La Salle produced the weekend’s highest team score, defeating West Chester 73–3. Guilford also completed a two-match sweep, beating Emory & Henry and Warren Wilson in Asheville, North Carolina.
With one regular-season weekend remaining, attention turns to the final qualification calculations and the race for places in the NIRA championships.
NIRA Women’s Rugby Results — October 24
| Match | Final score |
|---|---|
| Army vs. Lindenwood | 12–5 |
| Dartmouth vs. Sacred Heart | 38–22 |
| Navy vs. Queens | 36–19 |
| Brown vs. Southern Nazarene | 34–12 |
| Davenport vs. Bowdoin | 70–5 |
| La Salle vs. West Chester | 73–3 |
| Frostburg State vs. Mount St. Mary’s | 15–12 |
| Guilford vs. Emory & Henry | 17–5 |
| Guilford vs. Warren Wilson | 10–5 |
Championship qualification: Not every match involving a NIRA member contributes to the XVs championship pathway. Results involving programs outside that pathway should not automatically be treated as qualifying victories.
Army’s Late Blocked Kick Sinks Lindenwood
Army 12–5 Lindenwood
For most of Saturday’s contest at Anderson Rugby Complex, Army and Lindenwood were separated by just two points.
Then came the play that decided the match.
After Lindenwood’s defense stopped an Army attack around the 70th minute, the Lions attempted to clear their territory. Army blocked the kick in the try zone and recovered the ball for a try, extending its advantage to 12–5.
Lindenwood’s Ella Elordi opened the scoring in the 15th minute, putting the visitors ahead 5–0. The Lions frustrated Army for much of the first half, repeatedly denying the Black Knights scoring opportunities.
Army eventually broke through in the 34th minute, scoring a converted try to take a 7–5 lead into halftime.
The second half remained tight. Lindenwood threatened to regain the advantage, but Army’s defense held firm. The late blocked kick finally gave the Black Knights breathing room.
The victory reversed a familiar result from 2025.
Lindenwood defeated Army twice last season, winning 34–22 in the regular season before eliminating the Black Knights 29–22 in the NIRA semifinals.
This time, Army emerged victorious in a contest carrying substantial postseason implications.
RFC MATCH REPLAY
Army vs. Lindenwood
Final: Army 12–5 Lindenwood | October 24, 2026
Why the Result Matters
Army entered the weekend fourth in the Division I power rankings with a rating of 0.833. Lindenwood was fifth at 0.787.
Only four teams qualify for the Division I semifinals.
Lindenwood identified victory over Army as essential to keeping its playoff ambitions alive. Instead, the Lions suffered a defeat that left them 5–3 overall and 2–3 in NIRA competition.
The result does not, by itself, establish mathematical elimination. Final qualification depends on NIRA’s updated calculations.
For Army, however, it represents an important victory ahead of the October 31 meeting with Navy.
Dartmouth Scores 24 Unanswered Points to Beat Sacred Heart
Dartmouth 38–22 Sacred Heart
Dartmouth overturned a second-half deficit to defeat Sacred Heart 38–22 on Senior Day at Brophy Field in Hanover, New Hampshire.
The Big Green trailed 12–7 at halftime and were still behind 17–14 in the 56th minute before scoring 24 consecutive points to take control.
Sacred Heart opened the scoring in the 10th minute, but Marley Larkin responded for Dartmouth in the 28th. Annie Henrich’s conversion gave the hosts a 7–5 advantage.
The Pioneers answered with a converted try and carried a 12–7 lead into halftime.
Dartmouth regained the lead in the 54th minute when senior Katie Hansen scored and Henrich converted, making it 14–12.
Sacred Heart responded almost immediately, crossing in the 56th minute to move ahead 17–14.
That proved to be the visitors’ final lead.
Vasiti Turagavou scored in the 59th minute, with Henrich’s conversion putting Dartmouth ahead 21–17. Abygail Lambert extended the advantage to 26–17 four minutes later.
Maura Hough crossed in the 70th minute, and another Henrich conversion made it 33–17.
Senior Cindy Taulava completed the run with a try in the 73rd minute, extending Dartmouth’s lead to 38–17.
Sacred Heart added a late try, but Dartmouth had already secured the victory.
The Big Green transformed a three-point deficit into a 21-point lead in just 17 minutes.
Seniors Lead the Comeback
Hansen, Hough and Taulava each contributed second-half tries, while Henrich converted four of Dartmouth’s six scores.
Larkin’s first-half try was her seventh of the season, the highest total on the Dartmouth team according to the school’s October 24 report.
The victory was Dartmouth’s third consecutive win and improved its overall record to 4–2.
Dartmouth now travels to Brown on October 31 for its regular-season finale.
RFC MATCH CENTER
Dartmouth vs. Sacred Heart
Final: Dartmouth 38–22 Sacred Heart | October 24, 2026
VIEW FULL MATCH CENTER →Navy Celebrates Senior Day With Victory Over Queens
Navy 36–19 Queens
Navy scored six tries and produced a decisive second-half scoring run to defeat Queens University of Charlotte 36–19 at the Prusmack Rugby Center in Annapolis, Maryland.
The Midshipmen scored 17 unanswered points during the second half to secure their second NIRA victory of the season.
Tory Pahland, Aleksandria Gabbard, Layla Lujan, Caroline Shegogue, Ellie Pierson and Cecilia Izquierdo each scored tries for Navy.
Meagan Alvarez added one conversion, while Mia Young kicked two.
Queens responded with tries from Mandy Gutierrez, Akayla Towels and Cece Scarf. Scarf also converted two of the Royals’ scores.
The result improved Navy to 2–3 overall and 2–3 in NIRA competition. Queens fell to 1–5 overall and 0–5 in NIRA play.
Navy has now recorded consecutive victories after shutting out West Chester 17–0 on October 18.
The Midshipmen conclude their regular season against Army on October 31.
That matchup carries particular significance for the Black Knights following their victory over Lindenwood, while Navy has an opportunity to finish the regular season with a third consecutive win.
Davenport Overwhelms Bowdoin
Davenport 70–5 Bowdoin
Davenport strengthened its position at the top of the combined Division II/III championship race with a commanding 70–5 victory over Bowdoin.
The Panthers entered the weekend ranked first in the division with a power rating of 1.080. Bowdoin was third at 0.670.
Saturday’s result demonstrated the scale of Davenport’s advantage against another championship-pathway opponent.
Davenport entered Week 7 having scored 102 points and conceded just five across two qualifying matches.
Adding the Bowdoin result produces the following calculated totals:
| Statistic | Davenport |
|---|---|
| Qualifying matches | 3 |
| Wins | 3 |
| Points scored | 172 |
| Points conceded | 10 |
| Points difference | +162 |
| Average points scored | 57.3 |
| Average points conceded | 3.3 |
These figures combine NIRA’s October 20 championship-pathway statistics with the October 24 result. They are calculations, not newly published official rankings.
Davenport’s average winning margin across those three matches is 54 points.
The Panthers have combined prolific attacking production with an exceptionally low points-against total, making them the leading contender based on the latest available qualifying results.
For Bowdoin, the defeat represents a difficult result against the division’s top-ranked program.
The Polar Bears are scheduled to host the University of New England on October 31.
Davenport is scheduled to play at Lindenwood on October 31 in a non-postseason fixture, with kickoff listed for 11 a.m. Central. The participating Lindenwood team designation remains to be confirmed.
RFC MATCH CENTER
Dartmouth vs. Sacred Heart
Final: Dartmouth 38–22 Sacred Heart | October 24, 2026
VIEW FULL MATCH CENTER →La Salle Scores 73 Against West Chester
La Salle 73–3 West Chester
La Salle produced the highest individual team score among Saturday’s reported results, defeating West Chester 73–3 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Explorers’ 70-point winning margin was also the largest of the weekend.
West Chester entered the contest following a 17–0 defeat against Navy, but La Salle’s attack proved too much for the Golden Rams.
The loss dropped West Chester to 1–5 overall.
West Chester, fourth in the October 20 NIRA Division II/III power rankings, suffered a heavy defeat in a fixture that did not count toward the championship pathway.
La Salle is scheduled to face Long Island University on October 31.
RFC MATCH CENTER
La Salle vs. West Chester
Final: La Salle 73–3 West Chester | October 24, 2026
VIEW FULL MATCH CENTER →Frostburg State Holds Off Mount St. Mary’s
Frostburg State 15–12 Mount St. Mary’s
Frostburg State overturned a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat Mount St. Mary’s 15–12.
Mount St. Mary’s opened the scoring through Sydney Sibilia, with Shaniah Mayers adding the conversion to establish a 7–0 halftime lead.
Frostburg responded with three unanswered tries after the break, moving ahead 15–7.
Lily Myers scored a late try for Mount St. Mary’s, reducing the deficit to three points, but Frostburg held on.
The Bobcats entered Week 7 second in the combined Division II/III power rankings, behind Davenport.
Although Mount St. Mary’s is outside the championship pathway, the narrow victory gave Frostburg another win as the postseason approaches.
Brown Celebrates Senior Day With Convincing Victory
Brown 34–12 Southern Nazarene
Brown scored six tries to defeat Southern Nazarene 34–12 on Senior Day at Berylson Family Fields in Providence, Rhode Island.
Giselle Long and captain Valentine Detheux each crossed twice, while Lauren Huang and Anne-Marie Banas added tries.
Brown made an immediate impact, with Huang scoring inside the opening three minutes. Genie Dickens converted before Detheux added another try, giving the Bears a 14–0 lead.
Southern Nazarene responded with a converted try, but Long restored Brown’s momentum with a score in the 23rd minute.
Banas crossed shortly before halftime, extending the advantage to 24–7.
Southern Nazarene reduced the deficit to 24–12 early in the second half, but Brown responded through Detheux and Long, who each completed their second tries.
Head coach Rosalind Chou highlighted the work of Brown’s experienced forwards and the attacking contribution of its younger backs.
The victory improved Brown’s overall record to 3–3. Southern Nazarene also stood at 3–3 following the match.
Brown now hosts Dartmouth on October 31, with kickoff scheduled for noon Eastern.
RFC MATCH CENTER
Brown vs. Southern Nazarene
Final: Brown 34–12 Southern Nazarene | October 24, 2026
VIEW FULL MATCH CENTER →Guilford Completes Two-Match Sweep in Asheville
Guilford 17–5 Emory & Henry
Guilford 10–5 Warren Wilson
Guilford College completed a two-match sweep in Asheville, North Carolina, defeating Emory & Henry 17–5 before edging Warren Wilson 10–5.
Sophomore Madison Yontz led the Quakers with four tries across the two victories.
Yontz scored three tries against Emory & Henry as Guilford established a 12-point winning margin.
The second match was considerably closer.
Yontz scored again against Warren Wilson, while senior Jasmine Cartwright added Guilford’s second try.
With Warren Wilson limited to a single try, the Quakers secured a 10–5 victory and completed the afternoon unbeaten.
Guilford outscored its two opponents by a combined 27–10.
The school’s official report confirms both Guilford victories but does not establish whether Emory & Henry and Warren Wilson also played each other on October 24.
Guilford is not pursuing the 2026 NIRA XVs championship pathway, but its sweep was a notable result as the collegiate season approaches its conclusion.
RFC MATCH CENTER
Guilford vs. Warren Wilson
Final: Guilford 10–5 Warren Wilson | October 24, 2026
VIEW FULL MATCH CENTER →NIRA Division I: The Championship Race
Harvard entered the October 24 weekend unbeaten and firmly established at the top of the Division I power rankings.
The Crimson’s 1.140 rating placed them ahead of Dartmouth, American International College and Army.
Lindenwood occupied fifth place, immediately outside the four-team semifinal field.
Division I Power Rankings — October 20
Rankings published before the October 24 matches.
| Rank | Team | Qualifying Record | Power Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvard | 5–0 | 1.140 |
| 2 | Dartmouth | 2–1 | 0.947 |
| 3 | American International | 2–1 | 0.839 |
| 4 | Army | 2–1 | 0.833 |
| 5 | Lindenwood | 2–2 | 0.787 |
| 6 | Sacred Heart | 1–3 | 0.664 |
| 7 | Brown | 2–2 | 0.645 |
| 8 | Navy | 1–3 | 0.597 |
| 9 | Queens | 0–4 | 0.316 |
Army and AIC: A Race Separated by 0.006
Only 0.006 rating points separated AIC and Army in the October 20 standings.
AIC entered the weekend third in the Division I power rankings, narrowly ahead of the Black Knights.
With Army having defeated Lindenwood, a loss to unbeaten Harvard could leave AIC vulnerable to dropping below Army when NIRA recalculates its rankings.
The final order will depend on the official qualification formula and the remaining results.
Harvard has won the past three Division I championships, including a 22–19 victory over Lindenwood in the 2025 final.
The Crimson have four titles overall, having also won in 2019.
Another championship in 2026 would give Harvard its fourth consecutive title and fifth overall.
Division II/III Power Rankings — October 20
Rankings published before the October 24 matches.
| Rank | Team | Qualifying Record | Power Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Davenport | 2–0 | 1.080 |
| 2 | Frostburg State | 1–1 | 0.744 |
| 3 | Bowdoin | 1–1 | 0.670 |
| 4 | West Chester | 0–2 | 0.506 |
These rankings precede the October 24 fixtures.
Davenport’s victory over Bowdoin strengthens its case as the leading championship contender, but the updated power ratings will determine how the official standings change.
Frostburg remains second in the latest published rankings, while Bowdoin and West Chester face a more difficult path following Saturday’s results.
By the Numbers
| Number | Significance |
|---|---|
| 73 | Points scored by La Salle against West Chester |
| 70 | La Salle’s winning margin |
| 65 | Davenport’s winning margin over Bowdoin |
| 24 | Unanswered points scored by Dartmouth against Sacred Heart |
| 6 | Tries scored by Navy against Queens |
| 4 | Tries scored by Guilford’s Madison Yontz across two matches |
| 172 | Davenport’s calculated points across three championship-pathway matches |
| 0.006 | Difference between AIC and Army in the October 20 rankings |
Next Up: October 30–31
The final regular-season weekend brings several important fixtures, beginning Friday night when Harvard travels to American International College.
Division I Championship-Pathway Matches
| Date | Fixture | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, Oct. 30 | Harvard at AIC | Unbeaten Harvard faces third-ranked AIC |
| Saturday, Oct. 31 | Dartmouth at Brown | Dartmouth seeks to consolidate its semifinal position |
| Saturday, Oct. 31 | Army at Navy | Army looks to build on its victory over Lindenwood |
Harvard at AIC: Friday, October 30, at 7 p.m. Eastern in Springfield, Massachusetts. Harvard’s schedule lists FloCollege as the broadcaster.
Dartmouth at Brown: Saturday, October 31, at noon Eastern at Berylson Family Fields in Providence, Rhode Island.
Other Scheduled Fixtures
| Fixture | Notes |
|---|---|
| UNE at Bowdoin | Non-postseason fixture |
| Davenport at Lindenwood | Non-postseason; Lindenwood team designation unconfirmed |
| La Salle at Long Island | Non-postseason fixture |
| Princeton at Navy Second XV | Non-postseason fixture |
| Penn State at Sacred Heart | Non-NIRA fixture |
Harvard’s meeting with AIC is particularly significant for the Division I rankings.
AIC entered Week 7 third, just 0.006 rating points ahead of Army. A defeat against the defending champions, combined with Army’s victory over Lindenwood, could affect the final semifinal order.
Dartmouth travels to Providence following three consecutive victories, while Brown enters the contest having defeated Southern Nazarene on Senior Day.
Army faces Navy after securing one of its most important wins of the season.
The Black Knights will be looking to protect their semifinal position, while Navy has an opportunity to finish the regular season with a third consecutive victory.
The Road to the NIRA Championships
The Division I semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, November 14, with the higher-seeded teams hosting.
The Division I championship final is scheduled for Saturday, November 21. The final venue remains to be confirmed in the published schedule.
Harvard remains the team to beat, but the race behind the Crimson is far from settled.
Army’s victory over Lindenwood has changed the immediate outlook for the semifinal contenders. Dartmouth continues to build momentum, while AIC faces a demanding final assignment against the defending champions.
In Division II/III, Davenport has established a commanding statistical advantage through its qualifying results, although the final championship picture will depend on NIRA’s updated rankings.
The October 24 weekend demonstrated the importance of individual moments in a tightly contested qualification race.
For Army, it was a blocked kick. For Dartmouth, it was a 24-point scoring run. For Davenport, it was another overwhelming performance against a ranked opponent.
Dartmouth, Navy and Brown celebrated Senior Day victories, while Guilford’s Madison Yontz scored four tries across two matches.
One regular-season weekend remains before the postseason picture becomes clearer.
