UMW Men's Rugby travelled to State College, PA to take on the #8 team in the country, Penn State. After a tough loss at home against Kutztown rugby two weeks ago, UMW prepped hard for the weekend. The beginning of the match saw UMW working very hard defensively to contain Penn State's quick moving back line. Unfortunately six minutes into the match UMW took a penalty which lines up Penn State's flyhalf for an easy penalty conversion kick in front of the post putting the score at 3-0. Another point would not be scored for over 20 minutes as both teams played hard hitting defense. At around 10 minutes in, Freshman prop Reece Anderson sustained a lower back injury and Senior Adam Thompson came on to replace him. For that long period of no scoring, gameplay went back and forth consistently with both teams having breakaways that ended in tough defense and turnover ball. 32 minutes in Penn State scored their first try after strong defensive effort just a few meters from the try line. The try was converted putting the score 10-0 for Penn State. Three minutes later Penn State had UMW on the backfoot once again. Even with strong defensive tackling and efforts by UMW, Penn State was able to get one more try in on the corner before the half. This on unsuccessfully converted leaving the score 15-0 going into halftime. At around the 63 minute mark, UMW and Penn State started a battle of defense within 15 meters of UMW's try line. During this period Senior Ross Whitehead would be subbed off and Alec Charoenthep would come on to replace, also Adam Warner would be replaced by Joseph Ritter. Both players came on to make massive efforts on the defensive front. The teams continued to go back and forth, UMW never making it outside of the 40m line and Penn State never able to drive it in further than the 5m line. Both sides with continual penalties and knock on's that lasted for well over 10 minutes of defensive effort. Penn State would finally break through off an intercept pass and score for the last time with a converted try putting it 22-0. That would be the point scored for the match and the continual defensive work for both sides would continue until the final whistle. In the last 10 minutes of the match, senior Lewis Grant was replaced by Pete Seftas at second row, Aaron Bensink replaced by Riley McKevitt at flanker, and Bradlee Nicholls replaced by Daniel Bullock who shifted to wing while Jackson Elder stepped up to fullback.
With UMW sitting 0-2 in their first season playing in the D1A division, they look to prepare for their Oct 26 match against Army West Point. Unfortunately a team dropping from the division has left them with a massive break between conference matches. They look to fill this time in with matches against local Men's Club rugby teams, and an intersquad scrimmage at homecoming. Man of the Match this week goes to Senior GianCarlo Pavan at wing.
