BUENA VISTA, Va. - The Southern Virginia University Rugby Team took on Belmont Abbey and faced a formidable challenge from the Crusaders, ultimately falling short 46-17.
 
Coach Marshall Ferris was able to share his thoughts after the match
"Credit to a tough Belmont Abbey side. I was impressed with their speed of play and also the tenacity in which they both attacked and defended. Thank you to Nick and his group for making the trek up. It was an exciting game, and we are looking to play a return game in the near future.
A lot of learnings for our boys. We are well aware that we were off the pace from the jump and well done to Belmont Abbey for capitalizing on the opportunities we presented. A huge step up from the previous week and we are looking to continue to build and grow each week. Although the result isn't ideal, there are a few key takeaways we can take as a group. Our set piece was much better. Coach Aidyn Ferris has these boys tracking well and it is awesome to see the growth and improvement from the lads. Apologies to those who came out. Each time we put that knight's head on our chest we look to represent with pride and unfortunately, today that wasn't the case. We will be better for it moving forward and will put forth an effort to be proud of."
 
How it happened:
 
Belmont Abbey's powerful offense showcased its might early in the game, However, the Knights displayed admirable resilience, with Sione Tokelau and Nathaniel Roeback leading the charge in both defense and offense.
 
Try scorers David Kendig, and Sione Tokelau managed to put points on the board for Southern Virginia as well as William Stanton who had a try, kicked a conversion, and was a leader on offense.
 
Unfortunately, Belmont Abbey's offense proved to be too much for the Knights to contain. However, the impact from Ammon Uasila'a off the bench provided a lot of energy and ball-carrying ability that Southern Virginia needed.
 
The Knights look ahead for a showdown in Emmitsburg, Maryland where Southern Virginia shifts to conference play in the Rugby East. They will be facing Mount St. Mary's on Saturday, Sep 16th with kick-off at 2:00 p.m.