On April 6th, the Michigan Men’s Rugby first side traveled to Quincy, Massachusetts to take on the who’s-who of New England colleges and Universities. Hosted by the New England Free Jacks of Major League Rugby, the first side battled in three matches over the course of the morning, ultimately coming up just short of success.
The team played Fordham University, American International College, and Dartmouth College as part of the bracket style tournament. In their first match of the day against Fordham, the first side accomplished a statement win, knocking down the Rams 33-12.
Stepping up to their second game against AIC, the first side was again looking to make a statement. In a match of dueling tries, Armen Vartanian got the Wolverines on the board first 7-0. A defensive battle led to AIC taking the lead at 14-7 in the second half, but a kick and chase off the kick saw Shea Loughnane tie the game back at 14-14. In the final minutes, the Wolverines fought to hold on, but a final try by AIC saw the first side fall by a slim 19-14.
After losing against AIC, the first side was no longer in contention for the tournament championship, but still prepared to face off against Dartmouth for the conciliatory bracket. In a match of ivy league and public ivy schools, the Wolverines struggled to overcome the Dartmouth defense, trailing 0-12 at the half. A second half try by Joe Ounsley gave the Wolverines a fighting chance in the final minutes, and a well-placed kick won the first side the ball back on the restart. Fighting inch by inch down the field, the Wolverines came within striking distance of the try line, but gave up a turnover in the last second, leading to a 7-12 defeat by Dartmouth.
Although the first side didn’t accomplish all that they hoped in Quincy, they’re looking ahead to this weekend, where they and the second side will travel to Notre Dame for the Big 10 tournament. With a full week of ironing out their mistakes, the team hopes to sweep both the starters and developmental bracket.
