Life in DII seems to agree with the Roger Williams rugby program, and they made an emphatic statement this past weekend in shutting out Salve Regina 18-0 to take sole possession of 1st place in the Colonial Coast Conference.
 

“It was a strong defensive effort from my boys,” said Head Coach Chris Palombo. 

They needed it. In wet conditions with a hard rain the game was slow. For RWU, this was an adjustment, as the Hawks had been averaging almost 50 points a game. They had also played stingy D, however, and that’s what saw them through - that and a smart game plan that respected Salve Regina’s 4-0 record.

“We used our kicking game well to play within their half,” said Palombo. “Patience with possession put us into multiple scoring opportunities, but the key to the game was our defensive structure. Salve was simply not able to put the phases together necessary to score.”

John Rice, a product of Xaverian Brothers HS in in Westwood, Mass., scored two tries in the first half, and Mike Cedrone (Bishop Hendricken, Warwick, RI) added one late in the first half when Luke Bradley set him up. Jedu Armar’s penalty in the second half was the only scoring in the final 40.

Rice capped off some good work from the entire team, scoring his first from a mater out on a pick-and-go.

Salve Regin is now in a battle to retain 2nd, as they sit with a 4-1 record, along with Johnson & Wales, and Plymouth State. Salve and J&W play each other this weekend. Roger Williams takes on UMass Dartmouth, and Plymouth State hosts Western New England.

After that, the playoffs start.