Navy continued their winning ways with a 40-11 defeat of Walsh University Saturday in Rugby East action.
As has been their script throughout the fall, Navy absorbed some pressure and battled through some difficult times before opening up the spigot in the final quarter. The game overall was much closer than the final score suggests.
Early on both teams looked to test the other with kicks. Walsh’s Lachie McDonald and Tomas Rojas driving lower line drive kicks (somewhat into the light wind) and Navy’s Roanin Krieger trying to carve off large chunks of territory with bigger hoofs.
Neither team was able to garner a massive advantage until Walsh was penalized at midfield and Krieger slammed over the long-range kick for a 3-0 lead.
Walsh responded well; a dummy and sidestep from captain Remy Thomson allowed the scrumhalf to take off for a huge run. He was caught, but wing Nicola Bitossi Coronedim was in support. Still navy’s cover defense was there, but they were penalized for no tackler release, setting up a lineout and maul for the Cavaliers. The forwards then bashed it over to take a 5-3 lead.
Navy’s answer was careful and methodical, not pushing too much, and when a kickable opportunity offered itself Krieger was only too happy to put it over.
Walsh’s restart after that went out on the full and that was a mistake the Cavs could ill afford. From the ensuing scrum Navy marched into Walsh territory and put the Cavaliers under immense pressure. Two mauls made it just down to the tryline, but no further. They had opportunities on the wing and in open play up the middle. Walsh stymied them all—they got a yellow card for their efforts, but they hung on.
Finally, as halftime crept closer, Navy’s Avion Ganse countered on a kick, and a snipe from scrumhalf Michael Strehle brought them down closer. The Navy forwards then went to work and crashed it over. Krieger converted, of course, as that made it 13-5.
Krieger added another penalty, and then Walsh ended the first half with one of their best sequences. They almost got over in the corner but had to settle for a penalty from Rojas to make it 16-8 at the break.
At had been physically demanding stuff with plenty of collisions, a little good-natured ribbing, and many, many close calls.
Walsh began the second half with the same fire they had at the end of the first. Rojas slotted a penalty to inch the Cavs closer at 16-11 and we looked to be in for a battle.
But Navy is notorious for finishing strong, especially as their bench comes on to increase the energy. Krieger slotted a goal to make it 19-11, and midway through the second half the Midshipmen extended their lead.
Quick ball and some hard work from the likes of flanker Tanner Russell and hooker Waylon Davis kept them going and a nifty loop move saw Max Smith dive in at the corner. Kriger hit the difficult conversion and it was now 26-11.
