Norwich University and Shippensburg are both into the women’s DII college semifinals after victories Sunday.

Norwich, which got a bye on Saturday because Rutgers couldn’t overcome financial and injury issues to make the trip from New Brunswick, NJ to Princeton, finally got to play Sunday, taking on a Vassar squad that had taken apart American International College the day before.

Norwich was clearly eager to get going and scored in the opening two minutes – flanker Hannah Bushey doing the honors. Norwich scored two more times in the first half, and didn’t give up a try until the final three minutes, winning convincingly 38-5.

Norwich 38
Tries: Bushey 2, Derocher, McElroy, Hathaway, Pickin
Convs: Baugus

Vassar 5
Tries: Robinson


Meanwhile Shippensburg, which won the national DII title in 2008 and 2009, is back in the top four after taking a reluctant side-trip to DI.

Ship defeated Temple, which had won one of the closest matches of the day on Saturday, 21-5.

The two teams battled all day and were still scoreless 25 minutes in. Then flyhalf Averie Brittin scores for Shippensburg and fullback Molly Doyle’s conversion gave her side a 7-0 lead. Just before halftime it became 14-0 as prop Dawn Porowski went over. Doyle was good again on the extras.

Ship would score once more, through scrumhalf Lindsay Libengood, which, with Doyle’s kick, gave the Pennsylvania squad a 21-0 lead. Temple did get one back through flyhalf Rachel Bandura, but that was it.

Shippensburg 21
Tries: Brittin, Porowski, Libengood
Convs: Doyle 3

Temple 5
Tries: Bendura


Norwich will play the winner of Washington State and Wyoming in the semis May 11 at Stanford University. Shippensburg will play Winona State, which punched their ticket Saturday in a win over Pittsburgh.
Winona State 39
Tries: Gadient 2, Haslemore, Pletta, Filipovich, Curran, Nassif
Convs: Curran 2

Pittsburgh 12
Tries: Beswick 2
Convs: Siegel