UNIVERSITY PARK, PA – The number one fall ranked Penn State Rugby team hosted visiting West Virginia (0-2, 0-1 Rugby East) under the lights on Friday to open up conference play for both teams. The Nittany Lions were able to keep the Mountaineers off the scorecard through the game while scoring 12 tries from nine different players.
Penn State (3-0, 1-0 Rugby East) opened up the scoring through some nice phase play that saw fullback Kevin Trotter score a nice try out wide. That would open it up for Penn State the rest of the first half. Wing Connor Cassidy scored a brace of tries, while halfback Jim Ronan scored one of his own while going 3 for 7 on conversions in the first half. Freshman front rowers Jordan Crofts and Tommy Capriotti got into the act by both scoring their first collegiate tries. Lock Leo Van Buskirk scored the 7th try of the opening half.
“What a great night of rugby. It was incredible to be out there and help my team get the win,” said freshman prop Jordan Crofts. “There are some things to clean up, but we kept them scoreless and that was the goal for the night.”
The second half opened slow for both teams as the conditions weren’t favorable. With the humid conditions, the ball was hard to handle and each team had a tough time not knocking it on. Penn State was able to find the grip and got two tries a piece from center Selby Niumataiwalu and captain winger Mike Eife. Reserve back Thomas Del Pino got into the action and scored a nice one of his own to close out the scoring. Ronan was true on 2 of 2 conversions and flyhalf Michael Dabulas hit 2 of 3 in the second half.
Penn State will have a bye next weekend before hosting the University of Delaware for their second Rugby East league match. The game will be played at the West Campus Fields at 12 PM on Saturday September 24th.
Penn State Lineup v West Virginia: 1. Jordan Crofts (Mike McLaughlin @70), 2. Thomas Capriotti (James Anderson @60), 3. Zach Barnes, 4. Ryan McNulty (Colin Assadinia @70), 5. Leo Van Buskirk (Dan Featherston @47), 6. Jack McLean (Cory Klems @45), 7. Rob Irimescu, 8. Chris Burian, 9. Jim Ronan (Rourke Struthers @72), 10. Michael Dabulas, 11. Mike Efie ©, 12. Selby Niumataiwalu, 13. Jimmy Haley, 14. Connor Cassidy (Brad Pechin @72), 15. Kevin Trotter (Thomas Del Pino @52)
Penn State 76
Tries: Trotter, Cassidy 2, Ronan, Van Buskirk, Crofts, Capriotti, Eife 2, Niumataiwalu 2, Del Pino
Conversions: Ronan 6, Dabulas 2
Penalties: None
West Virginia 0
Tries: None
Conversions: None
Penalties: None
Halftime: Penn State 46 West Virginia 0
