CHARLOTTE, N.C.-An incredible season came to a thrilling end as the American International College men's rugby team held off several rallies by the MAC Champion Bowling Green Falcons to earn a 46-40 win at the ACRC Bowl Series at the Rugby Athletic Center.
AIC's season concludes with a 7-1 overall record that includes a 6-0 mark in the East Coast Rugby Conference and that league's championship.
The Yellow Jackets jumped out to a fast start, as senior Bryce Neff put the ball down in the try zone in the third minute to give AIC a 5-0 lead.
Eight minutes later, the Jackets extended the edge with a score by freshman Matthew Jones, making it 10-0.
The next two tries came in rapid fashion, with sophomore Connor Gleason and senior Gavan D'Amore-Morrison putting in tries in the eigthteenth and twenty-second minute, respectively, and with Neff connecting on both conversions, the score was 24-0 for the Yellow Jackets.
However, the Falcons fought back, pushing the balance of play back to even, and in the final ten minutes of the half they ultimately cut into the deficit, scoring a try in the thirtieth and thirty-fifth minute, converting both to make it 24-14 at halftime.
The Jackets made some adjustments at the half, and they paid off, as freshman Seth Halliman punched in a try in the forty-fifth minute, but Bowling Green responded with a try and conversion of their own six minutes later, bringing their deficit to just 29-21.
AIC re-extended the edge to double digits quickly, however, as sophomore Christian Adams touched down in the try zone in the fifty-first minute.
After a stretch of back-and-forth play, freshman Jihad Khabir scored a try in the sixty-sixth minute, and Neff converted again, expanding the lead to 41-21.
The conversion ultimately proved to be critical, as the Falcons amped up the pressure and pounded in three tries in four minutes, converting on a pair of them to close to 41-40 with just under eight minutes to go.
However, it was AIC that closed out the scoring, as Halliman danced around a few defenders, cutting near the sideline before flicking a pass back to D'Amore-Morrison, who finished the play out in the try zone in the seventy-sixth minute to bring the score to the 46-40 final.
"While everyone played well at particular parts of the game, the guys didn't seem to really click and put together a whole effort. BG took advantage of this and fought tooth and nail for the trophy," said Head Coach Josh Macy. "I'm proud of the guys for putting the foot down and always keeping the lead, and doing enough to win, though this was a game we can certainly learn from," he concluded.
Three Yellow Jackets were named to the All-ACRC Team after the weekend was completed, with D'Amore-Morrison and Adams earning First-Team Honors and Gleason taking a Second-Team selection.
This game was dubbed 2014 College Game of the Year by Goff Rugby Report
BOX SCORE:
AIC 46, Bowling Green 40 (Final)
Lineup: 1. Skyler Adams 2. Blake Gurgul 3. Jamal Hadley 4. Corey Momsen 5. Connor Gleason 6. Brian Lizotte 7. Gavan D'Amore-Morrison 8. Matthew Jones 9. Kurtis Werner 10. Jihad Khabir 11. Christian Adams 12. Adrian Ray 13. Seth Halliman 14. Deshae Edwards 15. Bryce Neff
Scoring:
Tries: Bryce Neff, Matthew Jones, Gavan D'Amore-Morrison 2, Connor Gleason, Jihad Khabir, Christian Adams, Seth Halliman
Conversions: Bryce Neff 3
