September 19 - Marian staved off a late comeback bid to down Notre Dame 41-34 at Stinson Rugby Field in Notre Dame, Indiana Friday, in Week Two of Friday Night Rugby. The win lifts the Knights to 2-0 going into Big Rivers Conference play and drops the Fighting Irish to 1-3 on the season. 

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A plethora of penalties in the opening salvo didn’t allow for much offense, but the deadlock was broken in the 11th minute after the Knights punched the ball in following a commanding win in the scrum. 

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Notre Dame answered back in short order thanks to a driving maul from a lineout. Marian held the Irish on the try line, but committed a penalty in the process, and scrumhalf Ibb Mayr quick-tapped and broke through Marian’s defensive line for a try, tying the game at 7-7.

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Marian regained the lead immediately, scoring off a lineout maul of its own. The Knights reeled off three tries in succession, while spoiling multiple promising Irish possessions. With three seconds left in the first half, Notre Dame dotted down its second try, as loosehead prop Liam Novak picked up the ball and dove over from the base of a point-blank ruck. The score drew Notre Dame within two scores at the break – 26-12. 

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The Irish struck first in the second half when Marian wing RJ Fine bobbled the ball into the hands of Notre Dame lock Mike McClamroch, who raced the length of the field to draw within one try of Marian at 26-19.

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Marian prop Clay Peters answered for the Knights to re-establish a two-score lead, catching a pop pass from All-American flanker J.D. Farrell and rumbling past two Notre Dame defenders en route to pay dirt. 

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After an impressive 50-22 kick, Notre Dame knocked-on deep in the Marian end, but the Knights were penalized in the ensuing scrum. Irish tighthead prop Chase Pierce then scored via a driving maul from a five-meter lineout, cutting the deficit to 31-24. 

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Marian flyhalf Tommaso Lorenzetti countered by stepping inside Notre Dame’s blitzing defense to scamper for a try. Lorenzetti helped extend the lead a few minutes later with a crossfield kick that was gathered on the wing and carried over, putting Marian up 41-24 with under 13 minutes to play. 

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After a few too Marian many offsides penalties, Notre Dame kicked for the uprights to close the gap and make it a two-score game at 41-27. Notre Dame fullback Colin Ardise chipped away at the lead further when he collected his own chip kick for a try with four minutes remaining. Ryan Putka’s successful conversion cut the deficit to seven, but a Notre Dame lineout was called not straight as the clock struck zero and a knock-on off the scrum ended this back-and-forth game.

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Written by Joey Knese

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