In their last regular season games of the 2023 season, Lindenwood’s men’s rugby team, swept the day, winning all three events. The trio of wins put the team at a perfect 12-0 on the season.
In the day’s first game, Lindenwood defeated Maryville University by a score of 37-7. The 37 points were put up in a brief 14-minute period, as the morning matches were abbreviated games.
Shortly after, Lindenwood took to the field again, this time to play the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis. The team once again proved successful, this time winning 43-5.
The two morning victories set up for the afternoon affair against Brigham Young University. In what was a heavily competitive game, Lindenwood took the victory by a score of 21-14.
In the latter game against the Cougars, BYU scored first, scoring a try in the 20th minute of the game. However, just after the midway point in the match, Lindenwood responded, as junior Eduan van Heerden scored a try of his own. With a conversion made successfully by Cole Scharffenorth, the game became tied after 49 minutes of play.
The Cougars responded four minutes later, scoring yet another try and conversion of their own in the 53rd minute of the game, to give them a 14-7 lead.
It would take Lindenwood another 20 minutes to score again, coming down to the final 10 minutes of play to do so. Senior Alejandro Martinez Tapia scored a try in the 73rd minute, and with a subsequent conversion from freshman Byron Forword, the game was once again tied at 14.
At the 76th minute of the match, Lindenwood delivered the final blow to the Cougars, as junior Declan Ries scored a try, and Forword followed up with yet another conversion. Lindenwood led 21-14 with three minutes left to play, and Brigham Young failed to score from there, giving the Lions a victory.
The perfect regular season sets up a guaranteed playoff appearance for the Lions in the Midwest Rugby Conference. As of now, no scheduling information about the playoff tournament is publicized.
