Annapolis, Md. – Navy men's rugby (5-0, 3-0) returns to the Prusmack Rugby Complex for a north division matchup versus Penn State (1-2, 1-2) this Saturday at noon. Fans can watch the match using the free live stream on Navy Athletics YouTube page.
"We have reached the halfway point of our fall season and we're very excited to welcome our alumni into town this weekend for our annual with you dinner," said director of rugby
Gavin Hickie. "In terms of our performances, we have areas to be satisfied with to date, including our results, but we're well aware we have some very tough tests coming up. We expect a ferocious battle against Penn State on Saturday but are looking forward to our alums cheering us on at the Prusmack Rugby Center."
Navy Takes Home Lt. Col. Kevin Shea Memorial Rugby Cup
Navy defeated rival Air Force 71-0 in Glendale, Colo., to bring the Lt. Col. Kevin Shea Memorial Rugby Cup back to Annapolis for the fifth straight year.
Lewis Gray got Navy on the board in the tenth minute with a try and tries from
William Webb and
Ratu Osea Melibua over the next eight minutes to give Navy a 17-0 lead.
Jack McMahon found the try zone in the 38
th minute to give the Mids a 24-0 halftime lead.
Navy went with its traditional starting lineup in half two and erupted for 47 second-half points.
Ben Haugh scored a try just 2:30 out of the break and Melibua's second try in the 46
th minute gave Navy a commanding 36-0 lead.
Ryan Bullock and
Sean MacLaney scored their first tries of the season later in the match, and a penalty try gave Navy a 57-point cushion. Gray and Webb both scored another try in the final ten minutes to give Navy its third-highest point total in a match this season.
Major Point Differential
Navy has dominated both offensively and defensively in its first varsity season, currently outscoring opponents 311-15. In Rugby East competition, Navy has outscored its conference foes 152-15 for a 137-point differential, the best in the conference. Navy has now shutout three opponents in its first five matches and allowed just two tries.
Valuable Experience for Reserves
Coach Hickie went with a different starting 15 than in the previous four matches. Connor Bradswisch,
Caleb Calandra,
Nick Janowsky,
Nate Michaels,
Ryan Raimondi,
Michael Strehle,
Reece Thacker and
AJ Young made their first starts of the season and showed how deep Navy's roster is. The match was also the first time Bradswisch, Calandra, Raimondi, Strehle and Young appeared in a varsity match this season.
"Coming into the season, we knew we were shallow in some positions so giving guys game time was always a critical part of our journey this fall," said Hickie. "As always, we have continued work to do in this area but it is satisfying to see players take their opportunities. This increased competition within the squad will only further strengthen Navy rugby."
Krieger Takes on Kicking Duties
Roanin Krieger has taken over kicking duties for Navy in its past two matches. The freshman has made eight of his 11 conversion kicks over the last two contests and also went 2-3 on penalty kicks against Mary Washington. Krieger nailed seven conversion kicks against Air Force, the most in a match by one player this season. Krieger led Navy in scoring for the second straight week with his 14-point performance versus the Falcons and is now second on the team in scoring with 40 points.
Offense Clicking on all Cylinders
Navy's offense has been the talk of the rugby world to begin the 2022 season, averaging 62.2 points per match and 9.4 tries per match. Navy has scored at least 70 points and has scored ten or more tries in three of its five matches. Navy owns the top-ranked offense in Rugby East play with 152 points, and Navy is one of only two teams in the conference to score at least 100 points in league play.
Updated Standings
Navy's win over Air Force did not affect its Rugby East ranking, but Navy still holds second place in the conference with 14 points. Army had a key 24-7 win over St. Bonaventure to earn five more points to bring its total to 20. Kutztown stands in third place with ten points and St. Bonaventure is now in fourth with nine after suffering its first loss in league play. The top four teams in the conference all reside in the north division.
Mount St. Mary's won a crucial match over Mary Washington to earn four points and bring its season total to eight. The Mountaineers are now in first place in the south division and fifth overall in the league.
Scouting Penn State
The Nittany Lions enter the match 1-2 in conference play. Penn State dropped its first two matches to begin the season, falling to Queens 27-10 and Kutztown 31-17. Penn State earned its first win back on Sept. 23, defeating Mount St. Mary's 32-0. Penn State is currently last in the north division with five points and will be the first north division opponent Navy faces this season.
Penn State has two players in the top 10 in scoring in the Rugby East. Dalton Musselman is fifth in the league with 22 points on a try, four conversion kicks and three penalty kicks. Adam Bilbo is in a large tie for seventh in scoring with 15 points on three tries.
Up Next
Navy begins a stretch of three straight road matches, beginning with Notre Dame College on Saturday, Oct. 15 in South Euclid, Ohio. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m.
