PHILADELPHIA – Life University began pool play in the Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championships on Saturday, finishing the day with a 2-0-1 record against Wisconsin, Notre Dame and Arkansas State.
"We came into today with an idea on how we wanted to run our sub patterns, and for the most part I think that panned out," said Head Sevens Coach Colton Cariaga. "It was evident in the comeback in that last match when we were down 12 points. Obviously, you don't want to put yourself in that situation, but on the flip side, I'm really proud of how our guys kept fighting to tie the match. A tie for us, although we wanted to win our pool, essentially means that there is a good chance that we will still be alive and make it out of the pools. A couple of things have to go our way in some of these other matches, but we gave ourselves a much better shot, by finishing that match and making the kick at the end. Obviously, we are never really content, but also, I'm really proud of how our guys finished that last match."
In the first match of the day, the Running Eagles faced off against Wisconsin on the fields outside of Talen Energy Stadium. The Running Eagles got off to a hot start and led at the half. In the second half, they were able to sustain a late Badger surge to come away with a 29-17 win.
The second match found Life U pitted against Norte Dame inside the stadium. In what turned out to be a tightly contested match, the Running Eagles came out on top with a 19-12 victory.
In the final match of the day, Life U met up with rival Arkansas State. The squad got things start lightning fast, as Harley Davidson broke free and found pay dirt in the opening seconds of the match. However, the Red Wolves answered back immediately on the ensuing kickoff to the match square at 7-7. ASU was able to add another try and held a 12-7 lead into the half. Arkansas State carried their momentum from the first half into to final period as they scored their third try with 5:30 left in the match. Life U began to show signs of life as they scored a try with 2:00 left to pull within seven points at 19-12. With seconds remaining in the match, the Running Eagles were able to tie the match at 19-19 and force a draw.
Life U will be forced to wait for the conclusion of play today to find out their fate for the rest of the tournament. Follow @MLifeRugby and @LifeUAthletics on Twitter to find out when the Running Eagles play tomorrow.
