National Champions 2016

Both teams were affected by the match played on a cold rainy day with a slippery ball. The resulting scrum game would seem to favor the larger and stronger U Conn pack, but the Air Force defense was on the mark all day repeatedly keeping U Conn from getting to the gain line. After a slow start and behind by a try and PK, a score at the end of the first period by Selato (converted by Hambly) put AF down only 7-8. A quick AF score in the early minutes of the second half by Carter was the result of kick and chase strategy and an impressive series of short runs by the scrum into their larger opponents. Later in the half, 2015 All American Ashley Duryea scored a try (converted by Hambly), putting great pressure on the defending champions to answer. In the waning minutes, U Conn was knocking at the goal line, stymied each time by the AF defense. Had this been any team other than AF, they would have just let U Conn score at the buzzer and walk away with the win. But not our ladies!!! They showed the grit expected from our AF Academy and played through to the very end, leaving it all on the field. The game went several minutes into injury time, with U Conn handling the ball through about 20 phases, being pushed back nearly every time, until the swarming defense forced a knock on at the 22m, ending the game with a decisive win by Air Force, 19-8