St. Mary’s held off a determined Lindenwood University 24-13 on a wet Saturday in Moraga, Calif.

The touring Lindenwood team started well, kicking a penalty goal thanks to freshman flyhalf Tadhg Leader, and then seeing loose forward and captain Sebastian Kalm cut in nicely on a support line, take the offload, and power through several Gaels tackles for a try next to the posts.

Photos Michael Geib.

That gave Lindenwood a 10-0 lead about midway through the first half. But the Gaels replied. They took a penalty and kicked to the corner. Vili Helu took the lineout and after several surges just to the Lindenwood line from the forwards, the Gaels backs sent it to Aaron Matthews, and the freshman former HS All American cut back and dove over. Dylan Audsley’s conversion made it 10-7, which is how the half ended.

St. Mary’s took the lead about eight minutes into the second half after some snappy offloads forcing Lindenwood to backpedal quickly. They didn’t backpedal well enough, though, and gave up a penalty for offside.

In the wet conditions - puddles in places and a wet, sliding field - you’d expect some teams to avoid open play, but instead St. Mary’s scrumhalf Holden Yungert tapped and sent it down the backline. Kevin O’Connor, who broke through and he fed Tommy Wallace, who raced into the corner for a 12-10 St. Mary’s lead.

It was one of the better passages of passing for the Gaels, and it produced a crucial try. 

Lindenwood replied with a penalty kick - a high ball fell to Lindenwood hands at the 22-meter-line, and some solid recycling from the Lions forced a call against St. Mary’s for coming in front the side. Leader, who hails from Galway, Ireland, put the kick over to give Lindenwood a 13-12 lead.

St. Mary’s went right back into Lindenwood territory, and from a lineout, St. Mary’s lost the ball. However, when Lindenwood kicked out of trouble, their chasers were offside, so the Gaels got another shot. Helu tapped and after the forwards recycled a few times, Matthews spotted space out wide and sent a kick that Charlie Louden grabbed off the bounce and weaved in for a try. 

That gave St. Mary’s the lead once more, 17-13. Lindenwood wanted to reply, but it was St. Mary’s that scored once more. Lindenwood’s restart rolled dead, giving St. Mary’s a scrum at midfield.

Leader missed a long-range kick for Lindenwood, but in the end it was penalty trouble for Lindenwood that sunk them.

More offside set up a lineout for the Gaels. A penalty at the ensuing maul allowed for a quick tap near the Lindenwood line. The Lions held, but eventually smooth hands out to Lauden on the wing produced a try in the corner. Audsley converted to make it 24-13.

Photos Michael Geib.

St. Mary’s then closed it out smartly, using the kick to keep the ball in Lindenwood’s end and make it very tough for the Lions to come back. Wallace almost scored a second for St. Mary’s on a break, but Kalm dove to take him down and save a possible try. But that just kept it close as the rain returned. Yungert basically sealed the game with a box kick that splatted in the corner and all the Lindenwood defenders could do was gather and step into touch.

Matthews had some good moments - the Back Bay product out of Southern California scored a try and set up two more, but it was the quick offloads, and aggressive work in the rucks from the St. Mary’s forwards that forced the Lindenwood offside penalties.

Lindenwood’s penalties were a problem, and in fact all of the points they conceded came from penalties.

“It was a great contest in tough conditions,” said St. Mary’s Head Coach Tim O’Brien. “Both teams will be far better for the work. It wasn’t extremely pretty but all-in-all a productive day.”

St. Mary’s 24

Tries: Louden 2, Matthews, Wallace

Convs: Audsley 2

Lindenwood 13

Tries: Kalm

Convs: Leader

Pens: Leader 2