ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University men's rugby team played their first home match of the fall under the lights on Friday, October 13. The team faced off with Grand Valley State University and picked up an upset 38-26 victory over nationally ranked team. The Lakers entered the day ranked 12th in the National Collegiate Rugby DII coaches poll.
Trine opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a Daniel Seymour quick tap and offload to Wayne Ager who dove over for the try. Seymour slotted the conversion to make the score 7-0.
In the 17th minute, the Thunder got back into Lakers territory with a beautiful crosskick from Seymour that Rhett Saylor secured before being bundled into touch on the Lakers five meter line. Grand Valley's throw into the lineout was not straight and Trine was awarded the scrum. Broc Fraley picked off the base off the scrum to inches from the line. Ager picked up and got the ball even closer setting up Tyler Diggs-Griffin to pick up again and get held up over the line.
After clearing their lines, the Lakers' wing, Noah Purdue, had a break down the sideline but was tackled into touch by Brian Tippman and Seymour. The Lakers stayed in Thunder territory and capitalized on an isolated thunder player and went in for the Try in the 31st minute. Grand Valley converted the try leveling the score at 7-7 with ten minutes to go in the half.
Trine turned the ball over after the kickoff and Seymour broke several tackles making it inches to the Line before knocking it on. Grand Valley charged back into Trine territory forcing the Thunder to defend their line and before forcing a turnover. A Nathan Ware breakaway brought Trine back into Laker territory and a Rexford Chapman-Shadik brought the Thunder inside Grand Valleys 22 meter line. Ware finished off the passage of play a few phases later breaking two tackles and crashing over line to make the score 12-7 going into the half.
Grand Valley started off the second half hot scoring in the 41st minute after connecting several passes and breaking multiple tackles to take the lead at 14-12 after a successful conversion. After forcing an errant pass into touch the Thunder marched inches from the Lakers try line off a Joseph Scheets break. Ager picked and went over for his second try of the match. Seymour's conversion was successful making the score 19-14 Trine in the 45th minute.
In the 55th minute, after Seymour's 55 meter kick for touch, Thomas Dickin threw into the lineout and the Thunder secured a forward push over the maul with Ager dotting down the ball for his third try of the match, making the score 24-14 with 25 minutes left to play.
Seymour caught the following kickoff and returning a kick for a 50-22 giving the Thunder possession at the lineout. After spending over ten minutes in the Laker half the thunder forced a knock-on and Seymour made two defenders miss before going over for the try in the 66th minute. He followed up by hitting the conversation making the score 31-14 with 13 minutes left to play.
Following the kickoff, the Lakers attacked the weak side making a nice break and, after several offloads, scored a try. After the successful conversion the score was 31-19 in the 73rd minute.
Trine regained possession off the kickoff via a Dickin turnover at the break down. But after Seymour's unsuccessful drop goal attempt, Grand Valley took the 22 meter drop out quick and scored off a long break, hitting the conversion to make the score 31-26 with minutes left in the match.
Grand Valley knocked on the following kickoff awarding Trine with a scrum inside the Laker half. Ware made several defenders miss with a 20 meter try to seal the victory for the Thunder with a final score of 38-26.
Trine forwards dominated the match making multiple crunching tackles, stealing six opposition scrums and three lineouts.
Following the win, the Thunder improve to 2-3 for the fall. They will host FWRC U23 Academy on Saturday, October 21 for their next match.
