A-State Rugby Club Drops Season Opener
JONESBORO – Arkansas State University’s rugby club team dropped a 38-20 decision to Lindenwood University in the season opener here Saturday morning.
“We made a lot of little mistakes, but that adds up,” said third-year head coach Blake White. “We’ve got eight freshmen starting. I think we were feeling the nerves and pressure a little.”
Lindenwood, ranked third in the D1ARugby.com poll, scored early, but didn’t connect on the conversion kick to take the 5-0 lead. The Red Wolves ranked seventh, countered with a score when flanker Dante Bandoni of Sacramento, Calif., bulled into the end zone with the try. Dale Hartmann’s conversion was good to put A-State up, 7-5.
Hartmann added another three points for the Red Wolves with a successful penalty kick to up the lead, 10-5.
However, LU was able to take the narrow lead, 12-10, with a try as the first half ended.
The Lions added to their lead when they opened up the final period by scoring the try and conversion with 37:40 on the clock. Lindenwood tacked on two more tries to bring its lead to 31-10.
Arkansas State mounted a valiant comeback effort behind a pair of tries by Jason Scheepers to cut into LU’s lead, 31-20. However, the Lions scored again with just over four minutes remaining to end the game.
Arkansas State will take on top-ranked Life University, Saturday, Feb. 15, at noon at Curt Huckaby Field.
