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(Who can challenge Norwich in DII?)
In the Northeast Women's DI competition, Army moved to #1 in the nation after beating then #1 Brown to take 1st in the New England league. They will undoubtedly clash again. UMass at their best can perhaps challenge these teams. The New York State teams are nowhere near. Army and Brown all the way.
Women's Division 1 (Top 3 advance to USA Championships)
1) Army (NERFU #1) vs. 8) Hamilton College (NYS #3)
2) Brown University (NERFU #2) vs. 7) University of Connecticut (NERFU #5)
3) UMass - Amherst (NERFU #3) vs. 6) Cornell University (NYS #2)
4) Syracuse University (NYS #1) vs. 5) Dartmouth College (NERFU #4)
Norwich could hardly be any more dominant in the women's DII bracket. They won New England comfortable, but 2008-09 national #2 Stonehill wants another shot at them.
Stonehill, which escaped Vermont in overtime in the New England playoffs have the fortitude to win. They got a huge try from Maeghan Kilfoil to tie that game and send it to OT.
"We lost our starters 1 through 7," said Stonehill coach Derek Jenesky. "But the players have really come through and we're very excited with how the season's gone."
Stonehill will be without flyhalf Laura Fischer with a back bruise. She was knocked out of the New England playoffs, and Jenesky said while Fischer says she can play, he will hold her out.
The clash of the weekend will have to be Vermont v. Rutgers. Rutgers won MetNY and looked good doing it, but Vermont is scrappy and won't back down, and like surprising people.
Women's Division 2 (Top 3 advance to USA Championships)
1) Norwich University (NERFU #1) vs. 8) Marist (Met NY #2)
2) Rutgers University (Met NY #1) vs. 7) UVM (NERFU #4)
3) Stonehill College (NERFU #2) vs. 6) Fredonia (NYS #2)
4) SUNY Geneseo (NYS #1) vs. 5) Radcliffe (NERFU #3)
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