Lindenwood and Arkansas State have been rivals for many years, but the two sides faced each other for the first time as Midwest Rugby Conference (MRC) foes Saturday night with the Lions claiming a hard-fought 36-7 victory at Hunter Stadium in St. Charles, Missouri. The match proved to be a test of strength, speed, and strategy with both teams displaying impressive offense and defense.  
 
How it Happened:
Right from the start, Byron Forword set the tone with a perfectly placed kick, pinning the Red Wolves back on their end of the pitch, pressuring them into a penalty just outside their own 22-meter line. With a well-executed scrum launch play, Karsten Rice charged over the line to score the second minute to give Lindenwood a 5-0 lead.
 
The Lions built on their advantage with tactical kicks and smart field positioning, testing the ASU defense. In the eighth minute, that relentless defense forced a series of penalties and a yellow card on Arkansas State. Brendan Mason then found touch just 10-meters from the try line, setting up a powerful maul that sent Mark Barbour into the zone. With the Forword conversion, Lindenwood led 12-0 after 11-minutes.
 
With momentum in their favor, the Lions continued the pressure. A pinpoint box kick from Jeremy Zwick created a turnover, and Eduan Van Heerden sniffed out space on the blind side, driving up field and earning a penalty. After a strong scrum, Declan Ries used quick footwork to advance, and Van Heerden found a gap to dive over for a try. Forword slotted another conversion to make it 19-0 after 18-minutes.
 
For the remainder of the first half, both squads showcased skillful tactics and aggressive defense, and the Lions had opportunities to widen their lead, but were not able to add any points.
 
That set the stage for a high-intensity second half. The Red Wolves returned to the pitch with renewed energy and immediately capitalized on a defensive lapse from Lindenwood that led to a converted try in the 41^st minute, cutting the Lions advantage to 19-7.
 
Arkansas State continued to pressure the Lindenwood defense and tried an attack wide, but the Lions forced a critical mistake and regained valuable territory. After winning a lineout five-meters out, Riley Richardson-Mould peeled off a maul and set up Jeremy Zwick, who spotted space and powered through to extend the lead to 24-7.
 
With fresh subs in the second half, Lindenwood kept the intensity high. A clever chip by Ries, chased by David Cathcart and Jaryd de Jager, forced a fumble by the Red Wolves. Karsten Rice scooped up a favorable bounce and added another try. Forword added the conversion to make it 31-7.
 
As the game clock ticked past the 70^th minute, the Red Wolves made a final push, the the Lions defense held firm. Precise box kicks from Jack McAllister kept ASU pinned deep, while a quick play between Mason, Duncan Krige, and Ries resulted in a final try to seal the match.

Coach Quote:
Forwards Coach Corey Harmann: "I think we took big steps trusting the game plan and utilizing set pieces to give our attack a strong platform to launch from. The boys did very well at letting mistakes not affect them, moving on, and executing the next job. Defensively, we brought immense pressure in the midfield and when Arkansas State made any type of half break, we scrambled well to make the tackle, reload, and launch hard defensively to stifle any additional attack."

Players Quote:
Senior Center Declan Ries. "It's good to be back out at Hunter with all the boys. Was a fun game to playing Arkansas State. They are quality. I felt like the efforts 1-23 were good with some good team tries."


What's Next:
Witih the win, men's rugby improved to 11-1 overall and to 2-0 in the MRC. The Lions will try to continue their momentum in conference as they travel north to face Davenport University November 8. The opening kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. EST at Farmer's Field Insurance Complex in Davenport, Michigan.
 
Score Summary:
2'   Lindenwood Try Karsten Rice 5-0
10' Lindenwood Try Duncan Krige 10-0
11' Lindenwood Conversion Byron Forword 12-0
17' Lindenwood Try Eduan Van Heereden 17-0
18' Lindenwood Conversion Byron Forword 19-0
41' Arkansas state Try 19-5
42' Arkansas state Conversion 19-7
52' Lindenwood Try Jeremy Zwick 24-7
62' Lindenwood Try Karsten Rice 29-7
63' Lindenwood Conversion Byron Forword 31-7
71' Lindenwood Try Declan Ries 36-7

Lineup:

1	Chad Tinney
2	Mark Bourbour
3	Connor Devos
4	Neil Milczarek
5	David Scanlon
6	Duncan Krige (c)
7	Riley Richardson-Mould
8	Eduan van Heerden
9	Jeremy Zwick
10	Byron Forword
11	David Cathcart
12	Declan Ries
13	Jaryd de Jager
14	Karsten Rice
15	Brendan Mason
16	Ivan Ingram (58)
17	Asher Webb (52')
18	Johannes Greyling (58')
19	Harry Regan (65')
20	Zack McAllister (58')
21	Will Bentley (70')
22	Jack McAllister (55')
23	Kobe Millar (65')