South Bend, Ind. – The Aquinas College women's rugby team traveled to compete in the Irish Sevens, hosted by the University of Notre Dame, putting together a strong day of pool play before finishing as runners-up after a challenging championship matchup.
Aquinas 24, Michigan 12
The Saints opened the tournament with an impressive 24–12 victory over the University of Michigan. Aquinas controlled the pace offensively, powered by a standout performance from Riley Vertz and Lillian Stough, who each recorded two tries. Stough also added two successful conversions and contributed two try assists, while Jayana Williams chipped in an assist to help keep the Saints ahead.
Aquinas 49, GVSU 0
AQ continued its momentum in the second match against GVSU, producing its most dominant performance of the day in a 49–0 shutout. The Saints showcased their depth as seven different players found the try zone. Taryn MacMillan led the way with two tries, while Vertz, Aaliyah Morin, Kayla Herrer, Lucy Hanley, Taniya West, and Williams each added one. The Saints' kicking game remained sharp as Stough and Nadia Perez combined for 12 successful conversions. Vertz recorded two try assists, with additional assists coming from Stough and West.
Aquinas 36, Notre Dame B 0
Aquinas kept the fire going heading into its final pool matchup against the University of Notre Dame B side, securing a 36–0 victory to advance to the championship. Six different Saints crossed the try line in the win, including Jeanette Aldana, MacMillan, Perez, Stough, Morin, and West. Stough converted four kicks, while Morin and Williams each tallied a try assist.
Aquinas 0, Notre Dame A 24
The Saints' strong pool play earned them a spot in the championship match against the University of Notre Dame A side. Aquinas battled throughout the final but ultimately fell 24–0, closing the tournament with a second-place finish.
Despite the result in the final, the Saints demonstrated explosive offense and balanced contributions throughout the roster, finishing the Irish Sevens with three convincing wins and a strong showing against top competition.
Coaches Comments
"Overall it was a great game day to work on our skills and continue building off what we learned the previous week at the Cavalier 7s. We finished second overall and played a hard-fought, mentally tough championship match," said head coach Dani Harris. "Notre Dame's A side pushed us both physically and mentally, and that experience was important for our team. It's the kind of game that helps us grow and learn as we prepare for our next tournament."
Up Next
The Saints will return to their home pitch this weekend as they host the Nelson 7s on Saturday, March 28th. Aquinas will look to build on the momentum from the Irish Sevens and continue developing as the team prepares for another competitive tournament on home soil.
