ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – In a thrilling and hard-fought encounter, Penn State Rugby faced off against St. Bonaventure but ultimately fell 35-17 in a match filled with intense moments and strong performances.
St. Bonaventure started the match with great momentum, quickly scoring two tries in the opening 30 minutes to establish a 14-0 lead. Despite the early deficit, Penn State showed resilience and determination, battling back in the final 10 minutes of the first half. Cole Stoeppelwerth scored a powerful try with a pick and go, which was successfully converted by Lorenzo Zamel, narrowing the gap to 14-7 as the halftime whistle approached.
The second half began with Penn State displaying staunch defense, keeping St. Bonaventure from adding to their score early on. Zamel continued to shine, slotting a penalty goal that brought Penn State within four points at 14-10. However, St. Bonaventure responded swiftly, scoring a converted try to extend their lead to 21-10.
With just minutes remaining, Penn State’s persistence paid off. After several penalties inside the St. Bonaventure 22-meter line, Stoeppelwerth capitalized on a tap and go to score his second try, once again converted by Zamel, closing the score to 21-17.
In a tense finish, St. Bonaventure managed to kick a penalty with five minutes left, pushing their lead to 24-17. In a dramatic final sequence, Penn State blocked the ensuing kick and launched a counter-attack, but a handling error saw them drop the ball on the last play of the game. St. Bonaventure seized the opportunity, scoring a final try with no time left on the clock and converting it to seal the match at 35-17.
Penn State Rugby will look to regroup as they prepare for their first game at home against Army on October 12th at 1 PM in University Park, PA.