MARIETTA, GA — In a tightly contested battle on Lupo, the Life University women's rugby team fell just short against Lindenwood, dropping in a 27-24 thrilling matchup.

The game opened with a strong offensive push from Lindenwood, as the visitors struck first with a try in the 14th minute, followed by another score at the 18:30 mark to establish an early lead. The Running Eagles quickly responded when Brooklyn Vaifanua powered through the defense to put the Running Eagles on the board at 24:33. However, Lindenwood extended their advantage before halftime with another try and conversion. The Running Eagles were last to score in the first half as Vaifanua broke through once more, this time, Angelina Mason hit the kick to go into break trailing 17-12. 

Coming out of halftime, the Running Eagles found their rhythm as Life continued to surge forward, with Azhinaye Barner scoring first before a strong run from Angelina Niu set Emma Haughey up for another, putting the momentum ahead in Life U's favor 24-17 after another Nina conversion.

However, Lindenwood refused to back down, capitalizing on key moments late in the game. A try at 65:12 brought them within striking distance, and with no time on the clock, the visitors delivered a heartbreaking final try at the end to seal the narrow victory.

Match Statistics:

Tries: Life 4 - Lindenwood 5
Conversions: Life 2 - Lindenwood 1
Scrums Won: Life 5 - Lindenwood 5
Lineouts Won: Life 21 - Lindenwood 9
Handling Errors: Life 3 - Lindenwood 8
Penalties Conceded: Life 12 - Lindenwood 9
Yellow Cards: Life 1 - Lindenwood 0

Despite the tough loss, the Running Eagles showcased resilience and strong set-piece execution, dominating the lineout battle (21 wins to 9). 

Up next, the Running Eagles will looks to bounce back against Florida in the team's last regular season game of the season.