Walsh University hosted University of Notre Dame Friday night in North Canton, OH and the Cavaliers opened their season with a well-taken victory over the Fighting Irish.
The scoreline, 38-17, doesn’t quite tell the story, as Notre Dame tested Walsh repeatedly.
Some hard running from the Walsh front row set up an early attack that saw Notre Dame drift offside. Fullback Jake Tolhoek slotted the kick and Walsh led 3-0.
After a rather tough not-straight call on a Notre Dame lineout, Walsh took the gift by working the weak side. Prop Tanner Smith thundered on, the back row came in to scoop up his offload, and after wing Aya Mkhokeli came close, flanker Colton Weber finished it off.
Scrumhalf Elliott McKinney slotted the conversion from the sideline and it was 10-0.
But Notre Dame had some things going for them and with some impressive work from flanker Luke Ingle and a huge eightman pick and charge from Brendan Lucey, they were in Walsh territory. Lucey, however, Lucey picked up an injury that forced the forwards-thin Irish to slide scrumhalf Owen Portelli to flanker and bring on young Will Scariano at scrmhalf.
Still Notre Dame pressed on. Walsh was penalized multiple times in their 22, mostly for not rolling or offside, and eventually referee Rachael Mcgrail had had enough and awarded Notre Dame a penalty try.
There followed a long period where neither team could get through a lineout or a scrum without a penalty or a free kick. Eventually it was Walsh that found points. During a fairly innocuous series center Josh Groudle set up Mkhokeli in space. He raced down the sideline, looked inside for support and found scrumhalf Elliot McKinney. He passed inside to flyhalf Clementé Aguirre and the #10 sped in to score under the posts. It was a superb try.
Some Confusion
Somehow the magic of that score depleted the game for a bit as the players on both sides decided to try kicking at the most inopportune moments. The result was a series of blocked kicks that saw possession switch repeatedly.
Ingle missed on two penalty attempts: one he pulled wide and would probably want back, and the other was from 50 meters and fell just under the bar.
The final part of the first half saw Walsh take control.
The forward, led by Smith at prop, thundered ahead and quick ball saw it sent wide to Mkhoheli for a try in the corner. Tolhoek converted from the sideline.
And then, stuck deep in their own 22, Walsh went wide. Mkhokeli eluded his opposite number and McKinney was there again for support, this time to put rouble through.
Kick good and it was 31-10 at halftime.