South Euclid, OH. -The Wheeling University Rugby team (3-1) was in a dog fight with Notre Dame College on Sunday. Unfortunately, they ended up on the wrong end of that battle as they fell in a close contest 18-16. It was the Cardinals first loss of the fall 2021 season, and the first time that the Cardinals have scored less than 40 points in a game.
You could sense the competitive nature of the game right from the get-go as both teams moved the ball downfield. It was Notre Dame College that scored the first try of the day, but a missed conversion kick would keep the score 5-0 Falcons. The Cardinals would not be able to score on a try in the first half, but they did get on the board courtesy of conversion kicks.
They converted on three different three-point plays, and took the lead 9-5 late in the first half. This is a lead they would hold the rest of the way, and went into the locker room up by that score. While they were in the lead, they were unable to score that big play that they had been getting in their other contests. Note Dame College is one of the top Rugby programs, and Head Coach Mike Geibel thought they pushed them throughout the game.
"NDC is a solid D-1A program and I think we pushed them right to the edge," said Geibel. "We did a lot of things well, but unfortunately a few key errors really cost us big. That's just the nature of Rugby, sometimes the bounce of the ball can change the outcome."
These errors would cost Wheeling in the second half as the Falcons outscored Wheeling 13-7 over the final 40 minutes of play. However, it was Wheeling that would start the first half strong when freshman
Stanley Giani scored the team's first try of the game to make it 14-5. Sophomore
Ayoub Jalli converted the ensuing conversion kick and Wheeling was up 16-5 to start the second half. However, that is all they would get as Notre Dame scored 13 unanswered points to end the game and get the 18-16 win.
Despite the loss, Geibel was proud of his team's ability to battle against one of the top teams in Division 1A. While it is tough to lose, he says he is looking forward to facing this competition in the future and seeing what this team can do.
"I'm really proud of the way our guys played hard and pushed a top division program, "said Geibel. "That is the level of competition we are working back into seeing every week. While it is tough to lose a close one, I think it has given us a sense of what's possible for this team when we put it all together."
The Wheeling University Rugby team is back in action when they take on Army on the road next Saturday at 1 PM.
