PHILADELPHIA - The American International College men's rugby team had no losses in pool play on the first day of the Collegiate Rugby Championshipon Saturday, June 3 at Talen Energy Stadium, finishing second in Pool D.

Pool D was deemed by several the "Pool of Death," and AIC head coach Rob Guiry said the team was proud to escape the first round of play without a loss.

"Day 1 was a wild day," Guiry said. "On the plus side, we made it through the 'Pool of Death' undefeated. Unfortunately, we didn't do enough to secure a spot in the top eight."

With its seven points from a 1-0-2 record, AIC qualified for the plate quarterfinal, to be played at 11 a.m. on Sunday against the University of Arizona.

The day began with a victory for the Yellow Jackets over 2016 CRC semifinalist Arizona, with a final score of 12-7.

In the next matchup, against UCLA, AIC played neck-in-neck with the Bruins, ending the game with a 19-19 tie. AIC additionally earned a tie in the next game, against Virginia Tech, with a final score of 12-12.

"There is still a lot to play for," Guiry said. "We're going to play for pride, play for our seniors, and play for each other. We're going to leave here with a plate championship and build on it next year."

Guiry also said he appreciated the strong AIC fan base that made the trip to Philadelphia.

"A special shoutout to our amazing crowd," Guiry said. "AIC was out there in full force - much appreciated.