FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University women's rugby team was neck and neck with National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) stalwart Dartmouth on Saturday morning at Park Ave Field, but the Big Green pulled away late in a thrilling 43-29 contest. 

It didn't take the Pioneers long to get on the scoreboard as Samantha Melvin gave the home team a 5-0 lead with a 3:52 try.  Reese Torticill capitalized on her first conversion attempt to make it 7-0 SHU. 

Dartmouth answered with back-to-back tries to take a 10-7 advantage before a Caroline Woelfel try made it 12-10 Pios at 15:37. 

A Dartmouth try and conversion gave the visitors the lead back before an outstanding team play by SHU.  Caroline Woelfel started the play with a beautiful lineout from Caroline Woelfel. The ball found its way to Charlotte Dauser, who scored from the back of a dominant maul to tie the score at 17-all. 

The Big Green added another try and conversion with less than four minutes before halftime, meaning the Pios needed an answer with not much time left.  SHU answered the call, as Reese Torticill touched the ball down with just 14 seconds on the clock to set the halftime score at 24-22 Dartmouth. 

Coming out of the break, the Big Green scored back-to-back tries, with one conversion, to build a 36-22 advantage by the 60:40 mark.  Between the two tries by the visitors, there was a 15:47 scoreless drought by both teams, the longest of the game. 

SHU got back on the scoreboard with an Olivia Woods' try at 63:27.  Woods barreled the ball across with a handoff right in front of the line to make it a 36-29 game following a Torticill conversion. 

A try and conversion away from tying the score, SHU started to push late.  Unfortunately for the home fans, a couple of key SHU turnovers during the rally attempt hindered the Pios' chance at knotting the score.  With 1:50 left, a long run into a try by Marley Larkin iced the win for Dartmouth, 43-29.