Young Lander Men’s Rugby team gains experience against No. 5 Clemson

CLEMSON, S.C. - The Lander men's rugby team traveled to face nationally ranked No. 5 Clemson on Saturday in what proved to be a challenging outing.

With several injuries at key positions, only three Bearcats started in their usual spots. The rest of the lineup featured first-time starters, including three players making their rugby debuts. Despite a 72-3 result in the A-side match, the young squad showed grit and flashes of promise.

Bright spots included Joaquin Villegas, who shifted across multiple positions and provided leadership, along with Jacob Gregory and Ethan Syswerda, who impressed on both sides of the ball, particularly at the breakdown. Newcomers Chase Langston, Davido Sanchez, Leo Makosiej and Aaron Sloane also made strong first impressions. Langston capped his performance with a long-range penalty kick from near midfield in the first half.

In the B-side contest, the Bearcats battled Clemson evenly until the closing minutes, when the Tigers pulled away for a 15-0 win.

Syswerda and Calvin Henderson were named Bearcats of the Match for their effort and resilience.

Head coach Buck Billings praised both the opponent and his team's growth.

"Hats off to Clemson, they played very solid today and showed why they are ranked fifth nationally," Billings said. "Despite the score, this team showed a lot. Our biggest issues are all things that we can fix and will improve with experience. I'm confident we'll have a different team for conference play. We just need some healing and more reps for our young men. I'm excited about our future."

Lander hopes to regain several key players in time for its upcoming matchup against West Point, where the Bearcats expect to return to a fuller roster with players back in their natural positions.

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Players Mentioned

Ethan Syswerda: Senior

Joaquin Villegas: Freshman

Jacob Gregory: Junior

Calvin Henderson: Freshman

Chase Langston: Freshman

Davido Sanchez: Freshman

Aaron Sloane: Freshman

Leo Makosiej: Freshman

Players Mentioned

Ethan Syswerda
: Senior

Joaquin Villegas
: Freshman

Jacob Gregory
: Junior

Calvin Henderson
: Freshman

Chase Langston
: Freshman

Davido Sanchez
: Freshman

Aaron Sloane
: Freshman

Leo Makosiej
: Freshman