Furman University pulled off quite the upset Saturday, winning their Men’s National DII semifinal over three-time defending champs Minnesota-Duluth 32-29.

Bolstered by a vocal home crowd - the semis were held at Furman - the Paladins played some sterling defense and torched the Fighting Penguins for three key first-half tries that proved the difference.

One of Duluth’s key weapons, flyhalf Trace Bolstad, was not 100%, as he was carryhng an ankle injury. Bolstad’s kicking game continued to be important, but Furman found a way to answer it early on. A clearance kick from Duluth landed in the hands of Matthias Newman. The fullback, standing near the sideline and near the 50-meter line, looked up, and promptly whacked a drop goal attempt.

The ball sailed into the air, and came down right on top of the crossbar, and bounced over for a 3-0 Furman lead. 

“Mattie has a green light to do that if he feels it,” said Furman Head Coach John Roberts. “I saw it go over and I was like ‘yeah.’”

The crowd loved it, as well, and while Duluth replied with a try, the message was clear - Furman has a plan for the kicking.

Duluth did indeed take the lead a few minutes later - Matt Martin capping off a movement that started with a backline break and then continued with the forwards picking and going.

Later, Duluth added to the tally when Bolstad followed his own grubber, wisely waited for Freeman to get to his feet before making the tackle, and jarring the ball loose for prop Jack Mageto to grab it and dive over. that made it 12-3, and at the point it looked as if the three-time defending champion UMD team might be ready to play for #4. 

However, Furman was not intimidated. Flyhalf Jeffrey Rein cut through and set up center Adam Miller for a try from a switch move, which Milchuck converted. That made it 12-10 Duluth. Then, defending their own line, Furman forced a turnover and booted the ball down the field. Scrumhalf Austin Willis chased after it and was the man on the spot when the ball took a backwards bounced between two Minnesota-Duluth defenders, and into Willis’s hands. The scrumhalf pinned his ears back and went the distance for a huge momentum shift. The partisan crowd went wild, and went wilder still when Rein broke through for another try and a 22-12 lead.

Furman’s backline play was outstanding, and they exposed Newman raced in, once again through a hole in the midfield, to make it 29-12.

Duluth battled back, and Bolstad linked up with wing Nem Nyangaresi, who tiptoed down the sideline and withstood one final tackle attempt before touching down in the corner.

That made it 29-17 Furman at halftime, but it was clear Duluth, which was running afoul of penalties in the breakdown, would come back. And come back they did, scoring in the opening minutes of the second half with Jake Medved scoring a crucial try.

But Furman put the pressure right back on the Fighting Penguins, and center Jacob Milchuck put over a long-range penalty kick to make it 32-22. Milchuck had another opportunity to extend that lead, but missed.

So that set up for the final dramatic quarter. Using Mageto and Noah Siiro to bash through in tight, Duluth tried to find space for Martin and Randy Tanaka to run. But injuries undercut their approach. Flanker Kupa Madzima went down with an injury, forcing center Tim Stefczak, who was already their main lineout jumper, to move into the back row. That forced a change in the backline. Meanwhile, No. 8 Eric Elsner worked to make some plays, but the brightest light for Duluth was Nyangersi, who seemed to be in the middle of the action no matter where it occurred.

Eventually, some good work from the likes of Tanaka and Nyangaresi set up a chance for Elsner, who twisted and turned his way over for a try and a 32-29 scoreline.

And that’s how it remained, as Duluth pressed and pressed, and became increasingly frustrated. Furman just defended. They had some shots to put the game away - at one point kicking a penalty kick to touch through the dead ball line. But somehow Duluth couldn’t make Furman crack.

The Paladins got a huge game from Milchuck and Miller in the midfield, and some crucial players from the second row of RJ Bradley and Dylan Bostock.

“We told the guys at halftime, these Duluth guys are champions, and they’re going to make a run at us,” said Roberts. “We couldn’t quite get a cushion. We couldn’t punch in that try to put it away, but our defense held firm, and the crowd helped us a lot.”

In the end, a champion has to be unseated at some point, and Furman did it with a combination of skill, hard-nosed defense, and a full 80 minute effort.

Furman 32
Tries: Miller, Willis, Rein, Newman
Convs: Milchuck 3
Pens: Milchuck
DGs: Newman

Minnsota-Duluth 29
Tries: Martin, Mageto, Nyangaresi, Medved, Elsner
Convs: Swartz 2