The men’s rugby squad opened its season with a convincing 41-22 win over a persistent Oswego team.
The first half was all RPI. A pair of five-minute possessions by the Red Hawks led to two tries; however, they were unable to hit on the conversions, leaving the score at 10-0.
RPI then stunned the Oswego defenders with another quick try and conversion. With the Lakers in disarray, the Red Hawks were able to put two more tries and a conversion on the board, and they finished the half up 29-0.
The big lead made RPI a bit complacent, and Oswego took advantage of some sloppy defense to pick up a converted try to make the score 29-7. The two teams traded tries, and then the Red Hawks’ Mike Arthur drove past the Oswego defense once more, running the score to 41-12 in favor of RPI.
The Lakers refused to yield, though, picking up another converted try late in the game. They also added a drop kick from 40 meters out to close out the day’s scoring.
Arthur led all scorers with three tries for 15 points, and Nate Spillane hit three conversions on the day.
The team’s home opener is Saturday at 1 pm versus SUNY Binghamton.
Editor’s Note: Information for this article was provided by the Rugby Club.
