It will be University of Chicago vs University of Vermont in the NCR D2 final.
Chicago played in a massively entertaining, back-and-forth game.
GVSU showed their power with ball in hand with a long run from No. 8 Aiden Reilly that saw him just barely dragged down before the line but lock Hayden Krum got on his horse and charged in to pick up and dive over to finish it off.
Chicago punished a fairly avoidable high tackle by GVSU to run a lineout and maul and their forwards got it over.
The Crimson then worked it down the sideline. They almost scored, were stopped, but with their kicking game working they were able to pin GVSU back.
And that was much the story of the match, as Grand Valley almost never kicked back and ran hard, looking to make Chicago fall off tackles. Chicago, meanwhile, knew they needed to avoid and slugfest (not to imply Grand Valley didn’t have skill), and used the boot more.
A second try then from UC put them ahead.
But Grand Valley found a second big break. This time they were on the wing when UC flyhalf Jonas Grusinius came flying in to save the day. He did it high, however, and got a yellow card for his pains. GVSU scored quickly and took a 14-10 lead as Reinhardt Stipp’s conversion went over.
Still, UC didn’t flinch when shorthanded and a couple more penalties from the Lakers allowed them a lineout deep in the Grand Valley 22. They worked the maul and hooker Jose Alzugaray popped off the back to score in the corner.
More silly Grand Valley penalties and off another lineout UC ran a pop-back play off the top Alzugaray, who burst right through the tramline to score.
Now it was 20-14 Chicago.
Despite being good goalkickers all season, Chicago struggled mightily with their goalkicking. Grusnius was just off target with his first two attempts, and Caius Michlitsch was also close but no cigar when he took over.
Still, a lead is a lead.
Until it’s not.
Reilly, who was a handful all day, burst onto a nice short ball and charged in. Stipp was good on the conversion and it was four tries to three, but Grand Valley led 21-20.
The back-and-forth continued. Chicago got another yellow card and worked hard to survive that. Grand Valley got a yellow card to make them feel better, and then Jack Allison raced in to give Chicago the lead. Grusnius slotted the conversion for a 27-21 Chicago lead.
Grand Valley scored right after that with a half break from center Luke Francis before lofting it wide to Kyle Riter out on the wing. It was a nice piece of champagne rugby from the Michiganders, but it was their last hurrah.
Stipp went off hurt and GVSU were badly hurt by a long sequence in which they couldn’t get out of their own end. Kicks to touch off penalties missed touch; exit strategies backfired.
Chicago scored three more times, all unconverted, and won 42-26. But it was much, much closer than that.
“It hurts,” said GVSU Head Coach John Mullett. “But you have to get here for it to hurt.”
Mitchlitsch was excellent and scored two tries, as did Alison and, of course, Alzugaray. Will Johnson and Will Hendricks also touched down in what was a tough-minded win for Chicago.
UVM and UNC Wilmington for all the world looked like they would play a game that would net 100 point. So, of course, it didn’t.
These two teams bashed into each other in a high-paced piece of ferocity that was as entertaining as it was surprising.
The Seahawks overall team speed showed early and that ld to John McAllister’s opening try.
But Vermont held on after that and started to hit Wilmington hard. With Jack Worobel and Roman Legere powering through in the forwards they looked to outwork UNC-W and make them not want to tackle. But Wilmington can strong-arm, too.
Eventually Vermont’s ability to keep possession and force the Seahawks to work on defense started to tell as wing Zan Rice capped off movements twice, and Tom Burnett also scored for a 17-8 halftime lead.
