Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
Walsh University (Ohio)
Men's Rugby Triumphs Over Walsh University with Strong Second Half
October 28, 2024 | Men's Rugby
NORTH CANTON, Ohio -The Army West Point men's rugby team (6-1) powered through a challenging first half to defeat Rugby East rival Walsh University (2-5) in a commanding second-half performance.
Leading the Black Knights was Gabe Savage securing two tries.
Reflecting on the win, Savage remarked, "We had a great team win today. We battled through adversity and the wind in the first half, and we were able to put together a successful campaign in the end. This is one step closer to our goal of playing a complete 80 minutes of rugby. On to the next!"
Howie Heller added, "We picked up a hard-fought win vs. Walsh. They gave us trouble in the first half as we turned the ball over and struggled to exit. But we played clinically in the second half with the wind at our backs and played a solid territory game. Great win on the road."
HOW IT HAPPENED
The opening 17 minutes saw a defensive standoff, with both teams holding strong and preventing scoring opportunities. Walsh broke the deadlock 23 minutes before halftime, crossing the try zone and converting to take a 7-0 lead.
Army responded six minutes later when Savage powered through Walsh's defense to score, narrowing the deficit to two. The remainder of the first half was a defensive battle, with neither team adding to the score until the final minutes of the half when Walsh on a penalty kick and Chance Loudenback picked off a pass to score a try, making the score a tight 12-10.
In the second half, the Black Knights' offense took control. Engels scored in the 43rd minute, followed by a successful conversion from Kolbe Schrichte, giving Army the lead. Despite a Black Knights penalty that led to a Walsh try in the 57th minute, Army quickly responded: Benji Kemp scored a try just two minutes later, with Heller converting to extend the lead to 24-13.
Army's offense continued to surge as Savage and Engels each added another try, pushing the score to 36-13. Although Walsh scored again in the 71st minute, Army remained in control with a 38-20 lead.
In the final moments, Heller capped off the victory by scoring a try and converting, sealing a decisive 45-20 win for the Black Knights.
Players Mentioned
