Providence, RI. – The Wheeling University Rugby team (6-5, 3-2) got their first taste of National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) Quarterfinal action on Saturday. The Cardinals fought hard, but were unable to get anything going against a tough Brown Ruck as they fell 27-9 ending their season. The Cardinals made the NCR 15's playoffs for the first time in program history, and even though they're out in the first round they have a taste of success to get back there next season. 

Right from the get-go Brown proved to be a tough opposition as they came out and scored on the first couple of possessions. The Cardinals would have opportunities in the first half but every time they would face a bears rock they could not seem to get the ball on their side. The only wheeling score in the first half came courtesy of Junior Joseph Iye, who would score the loan try of the day for the Cardinals. The try came at the end of the first half and Ayoub Jalli would kick through the suing conversion kick to make it 19-7 in favor of brown. That was the score as the teams headed for the locker room with wheeling trying to scheme up something to get their offense going in the second half of the game.

However, the Cardinals were unable to find their way across the Tri-Line in the second half as browns defense proved even tougher over the final 40 minutes. While Brown's defense stayed strong, the Cardinals defense stepped up and allowed just 8 points during the second half of the game. The Bears added a try and had a failed conversion kick for the first score, and the final three points came on a three-point kick to end the game. In the end, Wheeling fell 27-9 ending their run in the NCR D1 15s playoffs. Although the Cardinals did not go as far as they would have liked to in this year's tournament, they will still get a banner and can celebrate a successful first season as a full-time division one rugby program.

The lone try on the day for the Cardinals came courtesy of Joseph Iye, his third score of the year, while Ayoub Jalli added two points of his own to round out the Cardinals scoring. Wheeling finishes the year 6-5 overall and 3-2 and they're inaugural season in the Big Rivers rugby conference. The team now heads into the offseason as they prepare for the spring and sevens competition as they once again try to make their way to the NCR postseason at the end of April.

The Wheeling University Rugby team now heads into the offseason as they prepare for sevens season this spring. They finish as the number 8 team in the country for division 1 rugby and will look to build on that success for years to come.