Site: South Bend, Ind. (Stinson Rugby Field)
Score: DU places second overall
Next DU event: Friday, Oct. 18 – at Notre Dame  – 7:30 p.m.
 
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Davenport men's rugby team played in their first 7s action. After focusing on 7s rugby for only five days head coach Kruger VanBiljon and his squad placed second overall in South Bend, Ind. at the Notre Dame 7s Invitational. The Panthers finished behind Lindenwood University. Both losses that Davenport suffered came from the Lindenwood A squad. VanBiljon and his team will be back in 15s action as they head back to South Bend to play Notre Dame on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
 
The players that participated for the Panthers in the 7s invitational were: Gabe Sochanek, Alek Mares, Mason Baum, Sondai Adjei, Nick Glocke, Jean Pierre Eloff, Reece Czarnecki, Michael Houston, Willy Urena, Brady Gent, Vershawn Burke, Roman Mares, Travis Kamstra, and Joey Sok.
 
Davenport vs. Lindenwood A
 
In the Panthers first game of the day they took on the Lindenwood Lions A team. The Panthers would get tries from Jean Pierre Eloff and Reece Czarnecki. Eloff would also be taking the conversion attempts for the team. He would go one for two in the match. The Panthers would fall in their first 7s match of the day and season, 14-12.
 
Davenport vs. Western Michigan
 
The Panthers would have to bounce back quickly as they would go up against local rival Western Michigan. Davenport would get one try in the first half by Eloff, and he would then come up empty on the conversion attempt. In the second half DU would get a little more scoring than the previous one. They would score two tries in the half on from Czarnecki and one from freshman Sondai Adjei. Eloff would his conversion attempt going zero for two in the match. Nick Glocke would take over on the kicking duties and would make his only attempt. The Panthers and Broncos would play to a 17 all tie.
 
Davenport vs. Notre Dame
 
After playing to a tie in their second game and dropping their first game of the day Davenport would come out strong against the host, Notre Dame. They would have a strong first half scoring three tries. The tries would come from Czarnecki, Glocke, and Adjei. Eloff would take the first conversion attempt but would come up empty. Adjei would take the last two of the half going one for two. In the second half The Panthers would get one try from Roman Mares and Brady Gent would make the conversion. DU would walk away with their first victory in 7s competition with the score of 24-5.
 
Davenport vs. Lindenwood B (Semifinals)
 
In the semifinals Davenport would face the Lindenwood B squad. In the first half, the Panthers would score three tries just like they did in the previous match. The tries would come from Czarnecki, Glocke, and Adjei. Adjei did all the kicking in the half going two for three. There was no scoring in the second, as the Panthers would go onto win 17-5 and advance to the finals.
 
Davenport vs. Lindenwood A
 
In the finals of the Notre Dame 7s Rugby Invitational the Panthers would have a rematch of their first game of the day, as they would go up against the Lindenwood A squad again. In the final, Davenport would get one try from Vershawn Burke. Sondai Adjei would make the conversion attempt. In the second half Burke would come back to score his second try of the match, Adjei would make the conversion. DU would get two more tries, one from Travis Kamstra and one from Mike Houston. Adjei would miss the final two conversion attempts. Davenport would fall in the final 34-24.   
 
The Panthers will be back in 15s play next weekend as the head back to South Bend to play Notre Dame in a match on Friday at 7:30 p.m. They will then head north to play at the University of Western Ontario on Saturday.
 
Men's Rugby Contact: David Gerhart | 616-554-5045 | dgerhart@davenport.edu
DU Athletics: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram
Men's Rugby: Facebook