IUP didn't play their best game, and they got all they could handle from Norwich. In breezy, rainy weather, ballhandling was not easy. However, while in these conditions teams might be tempted to kick, neither team did that very much, and often the results were underwhelming. So it was a hard-carrying slog where the battle was in the breakdown.
IUP switched up 9 and 10, using scrumhalf RJ Beach in a variety of positions in the backline and #10 Declan Cringle as the dedicated scrumhalf. They ran hard at Norwich and did well working the phases. But their first couple of potential breaks were brought back for forward passes—offloads out of contact were tough with the wet ball. More on that later.
Finally, after a long period od IUP possession, the Crimson Hawks sucked in the Norwich defenders and center Dom Holmes exploited the gaps out wide to slide in for the opening try.
Norwich responded thanks to some excellent work from flanker Jeff Pappalardo. His lineout work was very good and after he won a lineout it was Pappalardo who strode long-legged through several tacklers to score the game-tying try.
Back came IUP. A massive eightman pick from Trent Stalling got his side close, and then an offload out wide put Holmes, who was in for his second. Holmes almost made it three with a massive break, beating several players. He looked like he was about to score but the final tackle jarred the ball loose to end the first half.
IUP Head Coach Seth Erwin said his team wasn't playing the way they usually play, but the Hawks did have a 10-5 lead.
The second half saw a series of knock-ons and silly penalties, and perhaps that's why IUP tried to force it on a loop move that was quite effectively bottled up by Norwich. The pass wasn't on and it squirted forward where center Marius Edwards nabbed it for the Cadets and charged in from 45 meters out to touch down under the posts. Center Kristopher Wayton opted to take the conversion from the 22, and that was a mistake. His kick angled a little to the right—closer to the posts it likely would have been over, but it was wide right. So that left the teams at 10-10.
IUP kept back at it and got close to the line only to knock the ball on. IUP had several moments close to the tryline only to lose patience and fling the ball somewhere, or do a double-movement, or just force it. They were saved from those mistakes, however, by Norwich's struggles in kicking clear.
As the half progressed, Norwich was able to take the lead. A series of penalties got them in IUP territory, and then the forwards went to work. They got progressively closer in the wet and finally massive prop Will Moulton kept low and drove over. He's a big man and once he's crashing to the ground, not much is stopping him. Norwich 15 IUP 10.
Norwich needed to secure the restart, but failed to do so. That set up a scrum for IUP and they ran a play off it. Holmes popped an inside pass to fullback Santino Fischio. The Norwich defense turned to deal with him and Fischio popped a pass. back to Holmes who took off to the corner and then around near the posts. Try number three for the center, but the conversion didn't go over.
With the game tied 15-15 IUP was back down to the tryline only to fling a wild pass to nobody that resulted in a knock-on. Times up.
So now to overtime. Once again IUP got close to the Norwich line. This overtime was sudden death, so all IUP needed to do was remain patient, take the ball an inch at a time, and ease their way over. But instead they pushed it and a double-movement penalty killed their chance. Norwich was able to clear away and put IUP under pressure. The Cadets finally decided to kick for space. From that they got a lineout five meters out, only to fumble a short-throw play.
The teams were struggling at this point. It had been a physically punishing game with a ton of contact and neither team flinching.
In the second overtime period IUP got a penalty and Cam Taylor, who had been an important ground-gainer all day, tapped and ran well. Holmes got involved again, and then when the forwards worked it down to the line, Holmes decided to take over, and he picked up, was strong in his leg drive, and got it over.
Dom Holmes 20, Norwich 15. Game over.
For Holmes, all he did was credit the work of everyone else, but it's worth saying that he was easily IUP's biggest threat, and his four tries in a 20-15 overtime victory has to be one of the most valuable performances we've seen at this level.
Norwich will be ruing some missed chances, but so will IUP, who did not play as well as they can. A very tired IUP will need all the rest they can get to face UNI Sunday.
