East Carolina put in a bit of a speed bump for The Citadel in the Southern Rugby Conference this past weekend, winning a key clash 24-5.

ECU controlled the majority of the possession ane neither team backed down as every ruck was hotly contested. Both teams were able to control ball in multi-phase attacks. However, the difference was in the back play. Citadel was able to rip off exciting runs on individual efforts, but the ECU backline defense was able to drag down the runners, and better support play and hard-nosed running from the Pirates yielded four tries.

In the Southern's Western Division, Furman went to 4-0 with a 55-5 win over well-regarded Appalachian State (the games in the Southern are stopped once a team gets to be 50 points ahead). UNC-Charlotte beat Wake Forest 50-0 to improve to 3-0. Those two play this week.

ECU now leads the Southern's Eastern Division with a 4-0 record.