Sophia Haley, at center, runs the ball while Danielle Ramsey second from right, and their teammates block during Dartmouth women's rugby practice in Hanover, N.H. on Thursday, Nov.15,2018.(Valley News - Rick Russell) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
Sophia Haley, at center, runs the ball while Danielle Ramsey second from right, and their teammates block during Dartmouth women's rugby practice in Hanover, N.H. on Thursday, Nov.15,2018.(Valley News - Rick Russell) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. Credit: Valley News photographs — Rick Russell

Hanover — Although the Dartmouth College women’s rugby team has had a tremendous season, the Big Green will have to fight the cold snowy, weather as well as its opponents this coming weekend if it wants a national championship.

Top-ranked Dartmouth (7-1) entertaining No. 4 Army (4-4) in the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association semifinals came as a result of a hosting bid, with the hopes of playing the match at the Big Green’s Brophy Field home pitch. The nor’easter that started on Thursday night and carried over into today means the four teams in the tournament — the Big Green, the Black Knights and the tournament’s other semifinalists, Harvard and Quinnipiac — will battle it out on the turf at Scully-Fahey Field instead.

Dartmouth and Army meet at noon today, with second-ranked Harvard (7-1) and No. 3 Quinnipiac (5-3) following. The winners meet in the NIRA final on Sunday.

Harvard was the only team to put a blemish on Big Green’s season thus far, beating Dartmouth in the second of two meetings, 12-3. Dartmouth handled Harvard, 55-13, in their first matchup.

Before Dartmouth worries about Harvard or defending champion Quinnipiac, Dartmouth has a tough Army matchup. The Big Green earned a narrow 26-20 win on the road earlier this season.

“We always enjoy playing Army,” Dartmouth coach Kathryn Dowty said on Thursday.

The matchup hasn’t been the main point of emphasis leading into today; that belongs to the weather. Heavy snow accumulation and bitter cold is expected prior to and during today’s matches.

Playing in different weather conditions is always a struggle in any sport, but it can really play a big role in rugby.

“Weather can be a great equalizer,” Dowty said. “We are also the only team that is on the quarter system, which means they will be taking finals between everything. There are lots of off-field challenges to be able to perform well on the field.”

Quinnipiac and Dartmouth met for the NIRA championship last year and have an opportunity to repeat the occasion. The Big Green fell last year, 29-20, but this season they hope to have a different fate. In the second week of the season, Dartmouth got payback in a 40-22 victory, but the playoffs are a different animal.

It takes more than one person for a team to have success, and Dartmouth surely has a full squad. Senior captain Camille Johnson plays flyhalf and leads the team in scoring with 90 points and shares the top spot with nine tries. The Big Green’s offense comes from other sources as well; when Dartmouth faced Army in mid-October, three different women — Alex Conway, Idia Ihensekhien and Kate Ramage — crossed the try line.

Dartmouth also will add a key player for the semifinals, freshman Emily Henrich, who has been away with the United States national team. Henrich notched nine tries for the Big Green before departing. Dowty is confident that with Henrich’s return, and the depth that they have from positions one through 15, the Big Green can find success.

“She’s something,” Dowty said of Henrich. “She left the tour early to get back to be with our team to play for semifinals and hopefully finals, balancing her duties.”