GREENVILLE, S.C. - A couple injuries early, resulting in some fatigue as the day went on, were too much for the Lander men's rugby team today at Furman.
The men started with the first match of the morning against Furman and wasted no time getting on the scoreboard with a line break by Laureano Petris resulting in an Austin Johnson try and a Tomás Messi conversion to give the Bearcats a 7-0 lead at the half. With a minute and a half left in the match the Paladins got on the board with corner try to bring the score to 7–5. Unfortunately, a couple of errors resulted in a change of possession and Furman was able to score after time had expired giving them the 7-10 victory.
Next up for Lander was the USC Gamecocks and they got on the scoreboard in the fourth minute taking a 0-5 lead. Two minutes later Tomás Mussi scores a try and converts to give the Bearcats the lead 7-5, unfortunately USC would score and convert on the last play of the half to make it 7-12. After back-and-forth possession, the Gamecocks score a late try to close the match 7-17 as winners.
The third match for Lander was played against The Citadel. The Bulldogs stole the opening kickoff and scored immediately thereafter and followed up quickly with a second try making it 0-10. Lander was able to answer in the 4th minute with try by Tomás Mussi, following a line break by Austin Johnson, to bring the score to 5-10 to The Citadel. The Citadel closed out the half with a 5-15 lead. The Bearcats looked to be mounting a comeback the Ethan Syswerda scoring a try setup by Hayden Bullwinkle, 10-15 with Bulldogs in the lead. Unfortunately, The Citadel scores three unanswered tries and no conversionsto win the match 10-30. Additionally, The Citadel finished the day tournament runner-up losing to the University of Kentucky in a nail-biter 12-10.
Our Lander men faced a familiar University of Georgia for the last match of the day. Fatigue and a few minor casualties are becoming a factor for the Bearcats at this point. T. Mussi and A. Johnson score an unconverted try apiece for the Bearcats, but the UGA Bulldogs net three tries and two conversions to give Georgia a 12-19 halftime lead. The men from Athens score two tries and a conversion in the second half to close the match victors 12-31.
On the day:
Tries - Tomas Mussi (3), Austin Johnson (2), & Ethan Syswerda (1).
Conversion - Mussi (3/6)
Points - Mussi (21), Johnson (10), & Syswerda (5)
