The Wheeling Jesuit Varsity Rugby team earned it’s second victory in as many games, defeating Millersville University 36-9 on the road.

Staunch team defense and a pair of tries from freshman Brandon Stine (Mechanicsburg, PA) gave the Cardinals the edge over their larger, more physical D1-AA foe. (A try is like a touchdown in football, but the ball must physically be placed on the ground to score.)

Millersville’s only points in the match came from three penalty kicks (worth three points each). Like WVU last week, Millersville was unable to score a try against the Cards.

“It was a very physical game out there today.” said WJU Head Coach Eric Jerpe “I’m really happy with our team’s ability to play our own game, and not get pulled into a battle with their forwards.”

The Cardinals went out to a quick lead five minutes into the match when freshman Jesse Jensen (Miami, FL) intercepted a Millersville pass and returned it 25 meters untouched for WJU’s first try of the match. John Stapleton (Sydney, AUS) would add the extra points to put the Cards up 7-0.

Stapleton was 4/5 on extra points for the game, and kicked a penalty for a personal haul of 11 points with his foot.

For the rest of the first half WJU and Millersville exchanged punishing hits, strong runs, and a penalty kick each, but neither would be able to find the goal line again before the end of the half and the Cardinals went into the break leading 10-3.

It wouldn’t take long in the second half before the Cardinals offense started to click. Max Lum (Advance, NC)  scooped up a loose ball at mid-field, brushed off a pair of tacklers, and put fellow freshman Pete Malcolm (Parkland, FL) into space for a 30 meter try. With Stapleton adding the extra two points, WJU took the 17-3 lead.

Increased pressure from Wheeling Jesuit put the Cardinals deep in Millersville territory when Lum again pounced on a loose ball. This time, however, the freshman prop would find a seam in the defense and power the ball in himself, putting the Cards on top 24-6 with the conversion.

The next try for WJU came minutes later when Stapleton attacked a gap and drew in two defenders before unloading an over-the-shoulder pass to Stine who charged through untouched. Stine would again use his speed to put the final try of the game on the board for WJU, and secure the the 36-9 win for the Cardinals.

Wheeling Jesuit moves into their bye week 2-0, and begins a difficult stretch on the road over at Maryland, Penn State, and Ohio State.

The Cardinals will return home on October 20th when they face Notre Dame College under the lights for a 6PM match on Homecoming Weekend.

Wheeling Jesuit 36

Tries: Jensen, Malcolm, Lum, Stine (2)
Cons: Stapleton (4)
Pens: Stapleton

Millersville 9

Pens (3)

WJU Roster

15 John Stapleton
14 Mike Probert
13 Dante Walters
12 Jamie Barlow
11 Brandon Stine
10 Tim Litton
9 Allan Hansen
1 Max Lum
2 Julian Santana
3 Corbin McInnis
4 Zach Reichenbach
5 Jesse Jensen
6 Kevin Marshall
7 Shawn Wagner
8 Peter Malcolm