Life defeated Lindenwood in a top-10 D1A clash over the weekend, taking the Lions down 31-20 thanks in part to two tries from Shaun Matthysen.
The result moves to Life to 6-1 with their only loss being a 20-14 decision dropped to #1 Navy (who also won this weekend). For Lindenwood this is their second loss in a row after being edged 13-7 by Arkansas State last week.
Lindenwood is now 11-2 overall in collegiate games, and 5-2 in D1A matches.
Lindenwood took a 3-0 lead eight minutes in after Byron Forword slotted penalty goal, but Life answered with a try five minutes later with Jeron Pantor setting up Karch Hoffman in the corner. That put Life up 7-3 with a well-taken conversion by Bradley Crane. Lindenwood scrumhalf Jeremy Zwick ran a good support line to take an inside pass and put Lindenwood ahead 10-7 midway through the first half.
Back came the Running Eagles with Logan Ballinger going over and then Lindenwood regained the lead once again with a Forword penalty. So the lead changed hands five times in the first half alone.
However after the break Lindenwood extended their lead. Stephin Alberts sent a kick over the Life defense for Bautista Nasta to chase down. Nasta pushed off a defender and scored to make it, with Forword’s kick, 20-12 for Lindenwood.
Life inched closer with a try to make it 20-17 after a penalty, lineout, and maul. Matthyson, on as an impact sub in the front row, took the rock over.
It remained there until about 15 minutes to go. That was when Philani Simamane cut right through a gap near a ruck about 40 meters out and sped in to score the try that would give Life a lead they would never relinquish. Bradley Crane converted and it was 24-20.
Matthysen scored his second when he bounced off the back of a maul and dove over. Nahuel Wingord converted from the tough angle to make it 31-20, and with a Lindenwood player in the sin bin, that’s how it ended.
