Men's rugby grabbed the lead late in the second half, but Life University took advantage of a Lindenwood penalty to score the game winning try and conversion in the final minute to take the match 23-21 and win the Glenn Markway Memorial Shield Saturday night at Hunter Stadium in St. Charles, Mo.

After going scoreless the first part of the game, the Running Eagles broke through with a successful penalty kick to take a 3-0 lead in the 18^th minute.  They

doubled that score a few minutes later with another successful kick, and then crossed the try line in the corner in the 26^th minute for an 11-0 advantage.  A chip and chase gave Life a 16-0 lead before the Lions finals broke the shutout on a penalty kick in the 35^th minute.  The score was 16-3 Running Eagles at the half.

Lindenwood started a comeback early in the second half when Lunaile Tshuma punched a kick forward and Lorenzo Thomas took a great bounce into the zone in the 48^th minute.  Tshuma added another three points to the board on a penalty kick six minutes later and the Lions tied the match when Malon Al-Jiboori dove over the line after some solid ball retention over several phases.  Life received a yellow card in the 62^nd minute, giving Lindenwood a man advantage, and the Lions capitalized two minutes later when Tshuma darted through the defense into the corner for a score, but it created a tough angle for the conversion and it was missed, leaving Lindenwood with a 21-16 edge.  The Lions did their best to hold back the Running Eagles in the final minutes, but a yellow card sent a Lindenwood player off the pitch in the final minute.  As the clock hit 80 minutes, Life used its final drive to score and give the Lions a heartbreaking 23-21 loss when the conversion was slotted successfully. 

Lindenwood fell to 6-3 overall and 1-2 in the Mid-South.  Men's rugby returns to the pitch for a conference road match against Davenport on April 9.  The opening kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Grand Rapids, Mich. 

Despite the loss, there were many positive things that occurred in conjunction with the match.   The family of Glenn Markway, a former player and student who succumbed to cancer, presented the Glenn Markway Memorial Shield to Life University.  A bone marrow registry drive took place at the stadium and also at the Student Athlete Center in honor of Markway, raise awareness about the disease, and register potential future donors.  The men's ice hockey team was recognized on the field at halftime for winning the 2016 American Collegiate Hockey Association Men's Division I National Championship, and the Lindenwood Admissions Department hosted a New Student Mixer with several Golden Line members on hand as ambassadors.