WHEELING, W. Va. – The Wheeling Jesuit Rugby team let a victory against St. Bonaventure slip through their fingers when a cross-field kick bounced out of bounds just as WJU's Jamie Barlow was diving on it for what would have been the game winning try as time expired.
 
The Cardinals instead came out on the loosing end of a tense 19-22 match against he playoff-bound Bonnies, winners of the highly competitive Empire Rugby Conference.
 
The Cardinals dropped a 12-point lead to SBU in the opening 10 minutes of the match, but had much of the possession heading into the final minutes trailing the Bonnies 19-22. WJU was given a golden opportunity to win the match when Referee John Hogan awarded the Cardinals a penalty, and they chose to kick for a lineout just five meters off the SBU try line.
 
Wheeling Jesuit won the lineout and the forwards produced a maul that put them just inches away from a try, and the victory. When the ball spun out wide, Outside Center Luke Titus thought he had Barlow in space and laid a grubber kick behind the defense. The risky move didn't pay off however, as the ball bounced out of bounds, and St. Bonaventure went away with the win.
 
“Losing a game is one thing, but I feel like we beat ourselves out there today.” said WJU head Coach Eric Jerpe. “We committed a lot of errors and penalties, especially around the breakdown, and had a difficult time playing to our pattern. The Bonnies played a nice hard game though. I think they'll do well in the playoffs.”
 
Leading the Cardinals on the scoreboard with two tries was freshman Fullback Michael Fitzpatrick who received a nice offload in the tackle from Titus for his first try, and raced 30 meters for his second after flanker Shawn Wagner intercepted a SBU pass and put him into space.
 
The Cardinals will complete the first season since the programs reinstatement next week when they host the University of Cincinnati Bearcats at the James LaRossa Athletic Complex on April 20^th at 1:00 pm.
 
WJU 19
 
Tries: Fitzpatrick (2), Titus
Cons: Titus (2)
 
St. Bonaventure 22
 
Tries: Hogan (2), Brennan, Farrant
Cons: Meagher, Hogan
 
WJU Starting Lineup
 
15: Michael Fitzpatrick
14: Clayton Smith
13: Allan Hanson
12: Luke Titus
11: Jamie Barlow
10: Dennis Diza
9: Jordan Saseen
1: Max Lum
2: Julian Santana
3: Nic Chaufournier
4: Corbin McInnis
5: Zach Reichenbach
6: Shawn Wagner
7: Dante Walters
8: Pete Malcolm