Mount St. Mary’s pulled off an impressive result on a trip to Grand Canyon, defeating the ‘Lopes 46-31 in Arizona Saturday.

This follows on from a very competitive loss to Navy two weeks ago.

The Mount looked to score within the first 80 seconds of the game. No. 8 Fintan Hughes was set free down the sideline thanks to an offload from wing Kiahi Horan, but he unfortunately missed that the in-goals are not especially deep at GCU and he stepped on the dead-ball line before touching down. So no try, but a message from MSM nonetheless.

Mount St. Mary’s continued to pressure and play quickly, and finally after another close call Hayden McKay tapped quickly to go over. 

GCU responded with good pressure off the restart. That ultimately resulted in a scrum, from which the ‘Lopes got a penalty, and from there they pressured the line and Nigel Johnson scored on a pick-and-go.

Ben Saunders slotted the conversion and it was 7-7.

This continued to be a back-and-forth game, although both teams were a little better and preventing scoring chances. 

Discipline hurt the Mount once more, however. They were penalized for dragging down a maul, and from the ensuing lineout No. 8 Lachlan Jackson popped off the back of the maul and charged over from about six meters out. 

Pinned in their own 22 MSM unleashed a brilliant movement. Quick little passes in the weak-side channel set free McKay, who put a kick down the sideline that never rolled out. Horna raced after it, gathered, and popped it back to McKay for his second. McKay, who was a standout for the USA U20s this past summer, had continued his outstanding form. He would end the day as the co-player of the game.

Evan Corbett converted from the sideline to make it 14-12.

As halftime approached GCU was able to get one back. Jackson scored on one of the best, most basic plays in the game, the eightman pick. MSM was slow to track him and he went in virtually untouched. Saunders made the tough conversion and GCU led 19-14.

The half ended with MSM threatening the GCU line but they were penalized for driving too far off the ruck and GCU was able to enter the sheds ahead.

End-to-End Stuff

Bolstered by a maul that went a very long way, and a rollicking run from wing Marcus Terzoli in which he refused to go down, GCU put lock Nick Bauman over to open the second half. MSM answered. A chip ahead almost produced a try for fullback Bastian Brunello. But from the ensuing goalline dropout center Jude Fangmeyer cut through and fed Brunello, who did the rest. Corbett converted to inch closer at 24-21.

And in the 17th minute they took the lead. A GCU penalty led to a 50-meter kick from the left-footed Fangmeyer to set up an attacking lineout. GCU was then guilty of interfering with the scrumhalf, and off a quick tap it was that man again, McKay, who tapped and was over.

But once again the lead changed, now for the sixth time as GCU broke out of their own 22. A brilliant pass from Saunders set free Terzoli who made a move and some territory before passing back inside to his flyhalf for a brilliant, 80-meter try. Luke Neely converted and GCU now led 31-26.

 MSM pressure off the restart forced a penalty and a quick tap from McKay backpedaled GCU once more. Grand Canyon’s discipline was an issue for them.

GCU defended, however, and forced Fangmeyer out to get a lineout. The Mount’s Hughes stole the throw-in, however, tapping it back where flyhalf Logan Wild scooped it up and beat four players on two sidesteps and was in to score to tie the game at 31-31.