Navy Women’s Rugby Hosts Lindenwood for Home Opener
The Navy women’s rugby team returns to Annapolis for its home opener, hosting National Intercollegiate Rugby Association runner-up Lindenwood on Friday at 2 p.m. at the Prusmack Rugby Center. The squad enters the match seeking their first NIRA victory of the season after opening the fall slate with two road fixtures.
Early-Season Adjustments After the AIC Road Test
Heading into the weekend, the Midshipmen hold a 0-2 record in both overall and NIRA conference play, looking to rebound from a 32-17 defeat against American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Midshipmen went toe-to-toe with the Yellow Jackets for the opening 50 minutes before a late second-half surge created separation. Ellie Pierson opened the second frame with a try that leveled the score at 10-10, keeping Navy within a one-possession margin following a disciplined defensive first half.
Momentum shifted when the Yellow Jackets capitalized on a sequence of unforced errors, stringing together four unanswered tries over a twenty-minute stretch. Lindsey Romero provided a late offensive spark by punching in a try in the closing minutes, supplemented by a conversion kick from Meagan Alvarez to cap the scoring output.
Roster Integration and Statistical Leaders
Three Midshipmen—Daryn Malone, Nickole Rios, and Romero—made their collegiate debuts during the match against AIC. Through the opening two games, 13 players have started every contest, reflecting an effort by the coaching staff to establish tactical continuity across the 15s format.
On the scoresheet, Alvarez and Arica Spencer have provided consistent offensive production by scoring in back-to-back matches. Alvarez leads the squad with 12 points, coming from two tries and a conversion, while Spencer sits second with 10 points on two tries. Pierson and Romero each notched their first career tries in 15s action against AIC. Kicking duties have been shared between Alvarez and Mia Young, with each recording a successful conversion this season.
Scouting the Lindenwood Lions
Lindenwood arrives in Annapolis maintaining an unblemished 3-0 record, including a 1-0 mark in NIRA play. The Lions opened their campaign with dominant victories over Southern Nazarene (51-0 and 48-12) alongside a 103-5 rout of Queens. Friday’s contest marks the third road game of the season for the St. Charles-based program, which finished the previous fall campaign with an 8-2 record and a 7-1 conference mark before falling 22-19 to Harvard in the NIRA Divisional Championship.
Individually, Ava Reuter paces the Lindenwood attack, leading the team with 30 total points and six tries. Joselin Roque Lopez directs the primary kicking responsibilities with seven conversions, followed closely by Lille Merlow with six. Friday’s meeting marks only the second all-time 15s encounter between Navy and Lindenwood. In their previous matchup during the 2025 season, the Lions secured a 64-17 victory in Missouri.
Match Logistics and Fan Information
Admission to the Prusmack Rugby Center for Friday’s 2 p.m. kickoff is free for all spectators. Spectator parking is designated in the lots situated on the north side of the Brigade Sports Complex, located at 64 Greenbury Point Road, Annapolis, Maryland 21402. Overflow parking space remains available on the west side of the facility.
