After losing their first league game in three years, Life University rebounded to beat #2-ranked Lindenwood in the Mid-South.

Interestingly, Life's winning margin was the same as the team's losing margin last week against Arkansas State: 29-22.

The game was typically tight and physical, and it wasn't until the 27th minute that the first try was scored. Until then, Life scrumhalf Ryan Rees's 11th-minute penalty goal was the only scoring. But then Life got into card trouble. First fullback George Phelan took a ten-minute break for hitting a Lindenwood player in the air—a dumb penalty from Phelan as he made no effort to get into the air, and instead just ran into his opponent.

Life almost gave up a try on a charge-down, and kept defending, and giving up penalties. Eventually prop Kareem Odeh's effort to kill the ball in the ruck was enough for him to sit down, too. Lindenwood called a scrum, and hands out to Cael Hodgson put the win at the corner. Andrea Livadaras made the tough conversion and Lindenwood led 7-3. Five minutes later it was 14-3 after a long period of pressure led to No. 8 Tinashe Muchena to squirm through a tackle and go over near the pots. Livadaras had no trouble with that kick.

"There was a time when it wasn't looking great," understated Life Head Coach Colton Cariaga. "But we also felt that if we could eliminate some of those errors, we were in a good spot."

Cutting out the penalties would be a start. Things evened out as halftime loomed, and Life camped out in the Lindenwood 22. A charging run from No. 8 Chase Schor Haskin almost produced a score, and from that ruck, a Lindenwood forward slapped the arm of scrumhalf Rees as he was about to pass. That's a penalty and Rees alertly ripped the ball from a Lindenwood player, tapped and scampered through for a try. The scrumhalf converted his own score and it was 14-10 at halftime.

"That try before halftime was huge for us," said Cariaga. "And then we scored right after halftime and we were ahead.

So they did—Phelan paying back his team by capping off a nicely-taken 60-meter backline movement. The game stayed stuck at 15-14 until midway through the second half, when Livadaras slotted a penalty to nudge Lindenwood ahead.

But Life came right back with hooker Brian Muntanga crashing over. Rees has good on the conversion and it was 22-17 Life.

But Lindenwood came right back and a lovely chip from Livadaras fell perfectly for Hodgson to catch on the gallop and go in at the corner. Tie ballgame, 22-22.

Life responses moments later. Locks Daemon Torres and Justin Johnson combined nicely as big, lumbering backs and they linked up with wing Julian Roberts, who raced in Rees converted and it was 29-22.

Life still had time, and did their best, Getting a scrum in the Life 22, the Lions bashed through 21 phases, coming within inches of breaking through for that game-tying try. Roberts and wing Darrell Williams made key tackles, and then Muntanga and Odeh produced two more to shove Lindenwood ballcarriers back away from trouble.

But the final play came down to Rees chasing the ball as it was spun to the wing. The pass back infield was intercepted by the Life scrumhalf, who then ran into touch to end the game.

"Ryan got things going for us with a quick-tap, he scored 14 points for us, and ultimately he made the play that finished it for us," said Cariaga. "He put in an 80-minute performance, and in that defensive sand you could hear him getting the guys organized throughout."

Life improves to 2-1, tied for 2nd in the conference with Navy. Dropping to 3-1, Lindenwood remains in 1st.

"It was an intense game," said Cariaga. "The competition and the fact that it's typically a pretty good game is going to draw some passion out of the players. That's what I wanted. It was the passion and the attitude and the hustle we needed to improve on from last week. I am not entirely sure we were rugby-wise a whole lot better, But we definitely stood up and brought the attitude and the hustle."