Pioneers Historic Season Comes to an End in NIRA Semifinal

Saturday, November 11

Cambridge, MA

12:00 PM

Sacred Heart

Harvard University

Pioneers Historic Season Comes to an End in NIRA Semifinal

11/11/2023 1:48:00 PM | Women's Rugby

SHU fell to Harvard on the road in the NIRA semifinals

CAMBRIDGE, Mass—The historic season for the Sacred Heart University women's rugby team has come to an end with a 60-5 loss to the top seed, Harvard, in the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) semifinal on the road on Saturday afternoon. The fourth-seeded Pioneers were in their first NIRA postseason appearance, finishing the season with a 5-2 record, while the Crimson remain undefeated at 8-0.

The teams had a very close first half, the Crimson scored twice early on to take a 10-0 lead and took a 15-0 advantage as time expired for the halftime break. SHU saw some chances in the opening half but could not break through.

Sacred Heart came out ready in the second half as Ashley Torres-Brown exploded for a breakaway for one of the closest opportunities the Pioneers saw in the game but was shut down by the Crimson.
Harvard scored twice to go up 27-0 after a pair of tries and a good conversion. SHU answered as Caitlyn Caldon got the Pioneers on board in the 21st minute of the second half for the first try for SHU in the semifinals to cut the deficit 27-5.

Harvard went on to dominate the final 15 minutes of the game as they took the 60-5 final to advance to the NIRA Championship game.

The Pioneers conclude the fall NIRA season and will return to action this spring for 7s competition.