Grand Rapids, Mich. – The Aquinas men's rugby team battled the Tritons of Central Iowa Community College today (Oct. 29) at Houseman Field. Aquinas held the lead for a majority of the game, but the visiting side would take a late lead off of a conversion and win the game 21-19.
The Saints finishes their 15s season today with an 0-5 record in the Big Rivers Conference.
Aquinas kicked off the scoring in the first half after
Jacob Easterling scored a try with 24:30 on the clock.
Jay Manson would miss the conversion attempt, but the Saints started off the game with a 5-0 lead. Just a few minutes later,
Jack O'Malley would score another try for AQ and Manson would convert the conversion to give AQ a 12-0 lead.
With just 12 minutes left on the clock in the first half, Aquinas continued to play well as the defense made four consecutive stops with the Tritons within five yards of the try line. However, Iowa Central would finally break through and score a try with 11:10 on the clock and score the conversion to bring the score to 12-7. That would be the end of the scoring for the first half as both teams entered the locker rooms with the score at 12-7.
Iowa Central Community College opened up the second half with a lot of pressure and kept the ball within twenty yards of the Aquinas try line for over ten minutes. ICCC would eventually score and convert the conversion attempt to take a 14-12 lead.
Aquinas would respond after
Jay Manson booted the ball down the field and
Marcel Denysschen hopped on top of the ball to score a try for the Saints. Manson would score the conversion to give Aquinas a 19-14 lead.
The Tritons would go down the field and respond to the Aquinas try with a try of their own. After scoring the conversion with 14 minutes left of the clock, the visiting side held a slim 21-19 lead.
With roughly five minutes left on the clock, the Saints attempted a penalty kick to take a 22-21 lead. However, Manson would miss the penalty kick and the Tritons would hold onto the lead to win the game 21-19.
Aquinas will be back in action is the spring for sevens competition.
