Rugby Drops Narrow Decision to Davenport
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Arkansas State University’s rugby team dropped a heartbreaking 15-12 decision to seventh-ranked Davenport Saturday morning at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex.
The loss is the first for the fourth-ranked Red Wolves on the season. Both teams now stand at 4-1 overall.
“They were able to score off our mistakes,” said A-State head coach Shaun Potgieter. “We dominated the possession and territory for most of the game.”
Arkansas State got on the scoreboard first when Pedro Alvarez scored the try with 23 minutes remaining in the first half. Dylan Boast was successful on the conversion to put the Red Wolves up, 7-0. Davenport’s Panthers responded with a penalty kick with six minutes left to narrow the gap to a 7-3 halftime score.
In the second half, Davenport picked up more points with 15 minutes left in the game to take the lead, 8-7. Three minutes later, A-State’s Taboo Maree added another score on the try. The conversion was unsuccessful, leaving the Red Wolves ahead, 12-8.
The Panthers scored the final points on the day with a try and the conversion, to make the score, 15-12, with six minutes left.
“As opposed to last week (a 70-3 victory over Little Rock Men’s Club), we didn’t capitalize on our line breaks,” continued Potgieter. “We had too many handling errors.”
Arkansas State will see Davenport again in the spring, March 18, at Curt Huckaby Field.
“We will be ready for them in the spring when they travel to Jonesboro,” concluded Potgieter. “But, for now, we’re moving on to the next game.”
A-State travels to Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 5, to face Oklahoma at 1 p.m.
