The Perfect Season: Harvard Women's Rugby Wins National Championship

No. 1 Harvard (9-0) battled till the last second to secure a 22-19 victory against No. 2 Lindenwood to lift its National Championship in four years and complete a perfect 9-0 season.

Mignone Field played host to the fixture, giving the Crimson the home crowd advantage with plenty of alumni, families, and supporters packing the stands. The competitors, the Lindenwood Lions (8–1), were looking to cause an upset to Harvard's unbeaten run and avenge their loss to the Crimson earlier in the season.

From kickoff, the field was buzzing with energy, and it was clear the game would be one that would keep every spectator on the edge of their seats. Heavy tackles were put in early, with both teams making a statement that they were hungry for this title.

“Winning three back-to-back titles hasn't been done in the history of Harvard and the history of NIRA. It feels very humbling and special to have so many alumni in the stands,” London said. “Knowing we ourselves are making history, it is insane.”

This physicality and intensity set the pace for much of the game, but also led to early injuries to both teams, with Harvard losing senior Skylar Jordan in the first 10 minutes. As the game settled, the Crimson began to control the tempo. Despite this, Harvard was forced to be patient as they struggled to execute on the final pass.

The patience paid off in the 17th minute with junior Ava Ferrence playing quickly off a foul and junior Courtney Taylor diving between the posts to get the Crimson off the mark, 7–0.

The Lions’ response was almost instant, however, bringing the teams even again, 7–7.

With ten minutes remaining in the first half, Harvard put high pressure on the Lindenwood backline, but the Lions were not cracking. It took a lineout from the five-meter line, turning into a determined team maul to secure the try. The narrow angle, making the conversion difficult for Ference, meant the Crimson could only go ahead by five.

As the buzzer hit zero for halftime, it felt as if the late Harvard momentum would have to be paused until the second half. However, a final layout meant the Crimson extended its lead on the cusp of halftime to 17–7.

The team seemed excited and quietly confident, coming out for the second half, and it quickly matched this with their play. The flowing possession continued from the first half, and again Harvard appeared to be in the driver's seat.

Lindenwood continued to battle and brought the game to within three points with 50 minutes played, 17 – 14.

Although the scores remained tight throughout the game, it consistently felt as if the momentum was with the Crimson. The Lions quickly became deterred from scrums as Harvard were ruthless, turning them over again and again. Similarly, the Crimson quickly began to dominate lineouts, stealing possession multiple times with perfect tactics and timing.

“Tactically, our pace and tempo set us apart. Being able to play our type of rugby, we don't have to do anything different, we just have to play our game. We have focused on this all year, and it paid off today, ” said senior Lennox London.

A moment of brilliance from captain Tiahna Padilla put victory within the grasp of the Crimson. Her perfectly placed cross-field kick was secured in the try zone by freshman Sana’a Lunon to extend their lead, 22–14.

As the minutes ticked down, it felt as if the game was set, but Lindenwood were not prepared to give up. With 60 seconds left on the clock, they got their third try of the game and cut Harvard’s lead to three. With no time left to play, they elected not to kick and went from kickoff in pursuit of a game-winning try.

The Lions worked patiently, knowing that if they turned over the ball, their season was over. They made their way into the Crimson defensive third and attempted to break down the wing a couple of times, but Harvard's defensive courage kept them at bay.

The continuous defensive hits finally took their toll, and a drop ball that the Crimson pounced on sealed the historic victory. This thrilling end marked the completion of a faultless season for Harvard, securing their spots in the collegiate rugby history books.

Dancing, flares, and the trophy being lifted marked a magnificent ending to a record-setting season. The team will now look to continue their success into their sevens season this spring.

—Staff writer Rhiannon Stewart can be reached at rhiannon.stewart@thecrimson.com