SPRINGFIELD, Va. — The Life University women's rugby team delivered a dominant road performance on Saturday, rolling past NOVA 74–5 in a matchup against the three-time consecutive USA D1 Club Rugby finalists. Despite a long trip, poor field conditions, and officials arriving late, the Running Eagles controlled the day from the opening whistle.
The Running Eagles wasted no time building momentum. Danie Taulua punched in two early tries, followed by scores from Azhinaye Barner and Bella Vogel as the Eagles stormed out to a 24–0 lead in the opening 12 minutes. NOVA found their lone try midway through the half, but Life closed the period with tries from Emma "AJ" Haughey and Barner to take a 34–5 advantage into the break.
The second half was all Eagles. Angelina Mason opened the scoring before the forwards took over, with tries from Brooklyn Vaifanua, Lissa Salisbury, CeCe Rose, Hattie Greenwood, and Cora Haughey powering Life to the finish. Strong contributions from the bench helped Life close the match on a 40–0 run.
The Eagles controlled 51% possession and 71% territory, converting 11 of 18 trips inside NOVA's 22. The set piece was spotless at 8-of-8 on scrums and 6-of-6 on lineouts, while the defense held firm after an early test on the edge. Life forced six turnovers and kept errors minimal with just three handling mistakes.
Mercie Vivao turned in a standout performance, and the convincing result came against a NOVA side that has reached three straight D1 club national finals, winning one.
Head Coach Ryszard Chadwick praised the team's composure and execution: "Despite the adversities of long travel, a substandard field, and delayed officials, we remained undeterred. We exploded out of the gate with four rapid tries, resembling a seamless attack-defense drill. Though momentarily flustered when our edges were tested, it served as a valuable insight into the challenge of sustaining control over 80 minutes. We regrouped effectively, concluding strongly with significant contributions from our bench. NOVA, as three-time consecutive D1 club national finalists with one title, presented a credible challenge. This match illuminated our current standing and pinpointed areas for refinement as we continue to build and pursue excellence."
Life U's dominant showing on the road highlights the group's adaptability and sets a strong tone as the season continues.
