Siena logged a snappy result this weekend to jump to(for now) 2nd in the Liberty NCR D1, defeating a tough Fordham side 41-23.
Siena struck first almost immediately, as freshman Henry Clegg split the posts with a penalty kick just two minutes into the match for an early 3-0 lead. Fordham responded quickly through the boot of flyhalf Gavin McNicholl, who slotted a 5th-minute penalty kick to level the score at 3–3.
From that point, Siena’s pack began to assert its authority. In the 10th minute, off a powerful 25-meter rolling maul, center Jack Burns swung a pass out to wing Jon Hall, who touched down in the corner. Clegg added the conversion to make it 10–3. Five minutes later, Siena extended the lead when their freshman flanker Lewis Simpson crashed over for a try directly under the posts following a pick-and-go, with Clegg again adding the extra two points for a 17–3 advantage.
Fordham chipped away at the margin in the 20th minute with another McNicholl penalty kick following a Siena offside penalty to make it 17-6. Siena answered right back in the 23rd minute when Burns executed a beautiful offload to fullback Lorenzo Cabagna, who scored. Clegg’s conversion pushed the lead to 24–6.
Fordham refused to back down and in the 26th minute, lock Pat Woods scored on a pick-and-go. McNicholl's conversion to make it 24-13. And then right on the stroke of halftime McNicholl slotted another penalty goal.
