National Tournament Homepage | Game Summaries
Site: Greensboro, N.C. (Bryan Park)
Score: DU finishes sixth overall
Next DU event: Winter training
GREENSBORO, N.C. – After going 3-0 in pool play on Saturday head coach Kruger VanBiljon looked for his sevens squad to continue rolling as they started they day in the Cup elimination bracket. However, DU lost their first game of the day against Dartmouth and dropped down to the Plate semifinals where they beat the Air Force Academy to advanced to the Plate Final. They face Life in the Plate Final were the Panthers fell 22-0 to finish sixth overall. DU will head into winter training to prep for their spring season.
Davenport vs. Dartmouth – Cup Quarterfinal
In the first game of the day the Panthers faced another sevens powerhouse in Dartmouth, and DU got behind early as Dartmouth was able to get to tries and conversions to take a 14-0 lead at halftime. The Panthers rebounded well to start the second half with a try from Mason Baum and successful conversion from Jean Pierre Eloff to cut the lead in half, but Dartmouth came right back to increase their back to 14. Nick Glocke scored a try to end the match with Dartmouth winning 21-12.
With the loss the Panthers dropped down to the Plate bracket where they started in the semifinals, where the losers in the Cup bracket were placed.
Davenport vs. Air Force – Plate Semifinal
In the Plate semifinal the Panthers played the Air Force Academy after they lost Arkansas State. DU opened the game quickly as Gabe Sochanek scored a try in the first minute of the game followed by and conversion by Jean Pierre Eloff. Eloff then added a try of his own to increase the lead to 14 points. Reece Czarnecki and Sondai Adjei both added tries before the half to take a 26-0 lead into the break.
With two minutes left in the game Nick Glocke added his first try of the match to give Davenport a 31-0 lead and they hung on to that score to advance to the Plate Final.
Davenport vs. Life – Plate Final
DU played 2011 National Champion, Life, in the Plate Final to determine fifth and sixth overall in the National Tournament. Life dictated the play for most of the game, as the scored to tries in first half to take a 12-0 halftime lead. Life added two more tries in the second half and was able to shutout the Panthers to win the Plate bracket by the score of 22-0.
The Panthers will head into winter training as they prepare for the 15s spring season were they play in the Mid South Conference against Life, Arkansas State and Lindenwood.
Men's Rugby Contact: David Gerhart | 616-554-5045 | dgerhart@davenport.edu
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