A-State Rugby Drops Close Road Game to Lindenwood
ST. CHARLES, Mo. — Arkansas State University’s rugby team dropped a close 36-32 game to Lindenwood University in a dizzying finish Saturday night. Both teams traded scoring tries in the second half before time ran out on the Red Wolves.
“I’m very proud of our team. We played with the most structure we’ve played all season,” said head coach Blake White. “Lindenwood is a great team and we went toe to toe with them. We put ourselves in a position to win at the end and it just didn’t happen. The important thing is we are moving in the right direction.”
Jake Ray put the Red Wolves up quickly when he scored the successful unconverted try barely two minutes into the game to go up, 5-0. Brock Roper added a penalty kick shortly after to make the score, 8-0.
The Lions got on the board to cut the lead to 8-5 and then a penalty try to give Lindenwood the go-ahead 12-8 score. Another LU unconverted try lifted the home team to the 17-8 lead, but Zach Young scored the first of his two tries. Roper’s conversion kick was blocked, sending Arkansas State in at the half, down 17-13.
The second half was back and forth with the Red Wolves striking first with tries by Sam Ross, Tanner Pope and Tom Hogan. Roper was four-of-six on kicking on the day.
Lindenwood bounced back with two tries of its own to leap frog, 29-27, over Arkansas State. It appeared the Lions were in charge with another successful try and conversion to pad the lead to 36-27. But, with less than two minutes remaining in the game, A-State added a final try to leave the final at 36-32.
Arkansas State returns home, Saturday, March 10, to host Life University at 1 p.m. at Curt Huckaby Field.
