Life University clinched 1st in the Mid-South Saturday, but it wasn’t exactly easy.

Playing their first conference game on the road, the Running Eagles needed some last-second heroics to score in the final seconds to win the game.

Life had blown out both Lindenwood and Davenport at home, and looked set to win going away once more as flyhalf Blane McIlroy punished Lindenwood indiscretions for two penalty goals, and Connor Mooneyham and Mitch Wilson added tries. Up 16-0, Life seemed to be in command, but Lindenwood worked their way back. 

The Lions exerted enough pressure to get a penalty attempt for Lungi Tshuma to put one over. That made it 16-3 to Life at halftime. But in the second half, Lindenwood found their feet after that. Tshuma sent a kick through for Lorenzo Thomas to chase onto and grab and score. Tshuma then added a penalty, and now it was a 16-11 ballgame. Then about midway through the second half, Malon Al-Jiboori capped off a nice sequence and the game was tied 16-16.

With a Life player in the sin bin, Tshuma galloped through a gap and into the corner to put Lindenwood up 21-16.

Life, then, had just 15 minutes or so to get that lead back. Life put on a furious charge, and after a series of massive defensive plays by the Lions, the Running Eagles burst through. Life got a penalty, kicked for a lineout, and after another penalty pounded down to the line. They got one more scrum with time basically up, and Cody Melphy  went over for the win.

Life 23

Tries: Mooneyham, Mitchel, Melphy

Convs: McIlroy

Pens: McIlroy 2

Lindenwood 21

Tries: Thomas, Tshuma

Convs: Tshuma

Pens: Tshuma 3

Unofficial (corrected) Mid-South standings.