ANNAPOLIS, Md. – In a gritty battle under relentless rain, the Navy men’s rugby team (7-0, 4-0) clinched the top spot in the Rugby East Standings by defeating St. Bonaventure (3-1, 3-1) with a final score of 15-3. The match occurred at the Prusmack Rugby Center in Annapolis, Maryland, on a challenging day with adverse weather conditions.
The driving rain played a significant role in equalizing the playing field, making it a tough match for both teams. Despite the challenging weather, Navy secured the victory with a pair of first-half tries, extending their remarkable winning streak to 25 matches.
Gavin Hickie, the director of rugby for Navy, commented on the match, “I think it’s fair to say that the weather conditions were a great equalizer today. We were clearly dominant in a lot of areas of the game, but couldn’t get everything clicking for whatever reason.”
Despite the weather challenges, Navy managed to grind out a win and maintain their dominance in various aspects of play. Their solid defensive performance prevented St. Bonaventure from threatening their goal line. The victory now positions Navy as the leader in the Rugby East Standings and sets the stage for an exciting showdown against Air Force to compete for the Lt. Col. Kevin Shea Memorial Rugby Cup.
The match began with St. Bonaventure seizing an early scoring opportunity in the eighth minute due to a Navy penalty. However, their efforts were thwarted, and Navy regained possession in their offensive zone. Despite trading blows for territory in the challenging conditions, Navy managed to advance the ball and ultimately broke the deadlock.
In the 24th minute, Roanin Krieger secured a try after slipping through two tackles, and his successful conversion kick gave Navy a 7-0 lead. Navy continued to press, and Jacob D’Amico’s try in the 30th minute extended their lead to 12-0.
St. Bonaventure managed to get on the scoreboard with a penalty kick in the 34th minute, narrowing the gap to 12-3. However, Navy’s defense held strong, preventing any further scoring opportunities in the first half.
The second half saw Navy make a strong push towards the try zone, but St. Bonaventure’s defense and turnovers thwarted their attempts. Krieger eventually broke the scoring drought with a successful penalty kick from 15 meters in the 56th minute, increasing Navy’s lead to 15-3.
St. Bonaventure mounted a late comeback effort, making strides inside Navy’s 22-meter zone but couldn’t break through Navy’s determined defense. Navy’s ability to maintain their lead proved crucial, earning them four points in the Rugby East standings. St. Bonaventure, on the other hand, missed out on any points in this match and dropped to second place in the standings.
Krieger had an outstanding performance, contributing 10 points with a try, a conversion kick, and a penalty kick. This victory places Navy in a strong position in the Rugby East Standings, setting the stage for a highly anticipated clash with Air Force for the Lt. Col. Kevin Shea Memorial Rugby Cup next Saturday at the Prusmack Rugby Center in Annapolis, Maryland.
