GRR: NCR
In one of the most exciting and competitive DII semifinals you’d ever want to see, Memphis defeated Northern Iowa 43-39 to advance to NCR’s DII national final.
The lead changed eight times in this game, which featured some thrilling attacking rugby and, despite the final score, some tough defense as well.
In a game that really didn’t go to plan for either team, IUP weathered a tenacious University of Vermont side 19-6 to advance to the Men’s DII national championship game.
Wayne State College mounted a stirring, wind-aided comeback to overhaul a 15-0 deficit and defeat defending small-college champs Cal Poly Humboldt Friday in the NCR Men’s Small College semis.
Despite what the experts said, Babson vs Catholic in NCR’s Men’s Small-College semifinals was not a close game.
Catholic had experience in the national final four and were also a little older, but their composure left them early and Babson, which has blown a 26-point lead in the quarterfinals before eking out a victory, ran out to an early lead and never let up.
Going into the NCR Small-College season, many felt that Cal Poly Humboldt and Babson had a serious shot to make it to the final.
Even the (mostly) trained monkeys working in the offices of GRR World Headquarters thought so. CPH had, of course, won it all last year, while Babson had emerged as Small-College 7s champs, so it seemed logical.