Maryland, Md. — The Aquinas College men's rugby team returned to 7's Nationals for the second year in a row. The team went 3-2 on the two days of competition (Apr. 26-27). The Saints made it all the way to the Premier Bowl Final but fell just short and lost by a mere two points to Notre Dame, 12-10.

The teams stumbled in their opening match against Belmont Abbey but rebounded with three consecutive victories afterwards. Throughout the tournament, the teams defensive fortitude and self-belief grew, coupled with occasional lapses in focus. Aquinas was able to advance to the Bowl Final against the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. The Saints displayed early dominance which secured an early halftime lead. However, UND mounted a second-half comeback, ultimately clinching a narrow 12-10 victory.

Head Coach Lance Hohaia has expressed pride in the team's determination while acknowledging valuable lessons learned for future growth. Here is what Coach Hohaia had to say on the performances, "I'm really proud of this team. They worked hard for each other today. We certainly learned some lessons about ourselves and will be all the better for this experience moving forward as a team." 

Here is how all the games played out for the Saints:

Belmont Abbey 12, Aquinas 5 - Premier Cup First Round

Aquinas 32, Iona 7 - Premier Bowl First Round

Aquinas 14, Rio Grande 7 - Premier Bowl Second Round

Aquinas 19, Clemson 0 - Premier Bowl Semifinals

Notre Dame 12, Aquinas 10 - Premier Bowl Finals

After the competition was done the Saints had earned 18th in the Nation in the Division 1 Premier. After the stats had been tabulated, Aquinas walked away as the third equal best defensive team, only allowing 38 points in five games, averaging 7.6 per game. AQ outscored opponents 80-38, putting their average score per game at 16 points.

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The team will now look to prepare for 15's for this coming fall season.