GLENDALE, Colo. (10/30/10) – The Colorado Buffaloes men’s rugby team ended their fall season on Saturday afternoon with a 32-29 loss to the Colorado State Rams in the Colorado Rugby Cup at Infinity Park.
Colorado State held the lead for the entire game and was up 32-17 with about 10 minutes left in regulation, but CU battled back beginning in the 73rd minute as Harry Mcelroy grabbed a good pass from Lance King and pushed his way across the goal line for the try. Austin Lewis successfully made the conversion kick to make it a 32-24 game.
Five minutes later in the 78th minute the Buffs cut the Rams lead to three with Nick Stuebe scoring the try after he received a great pitch from Chris Martin deep in the Rams zone.
In second half injury time CU was once again knocking on CSU’s door, but Tony Quattrini was called for a knock on and loss possession as he was crossing the goal line to end the game and give the Rams the victory.
Though Colorado didn’t score on that final drive, CU associate head coach Jim Snyder said he liked what he saw from his team.
“I saw a never say die attitude, we kept coming and took it down to the final play at the very last second,” Snyder said. “I’m really proud of the guys for never giving up and fighting to the very end. We came out on the backside of a loss but it’s not from a lack of effort.”
Colorado had the opportunity to tie the game on their last drive down the field after being awarded a penalty kick, but the CU coaching staff elected to go for the win instead.
The Buffs had won the previous three meetings against the Rams prior to Saturday’s loss.
CU finished the fall season with a 6-2 record with their only losses coming from Colorado State on Saturday and from Air Force in Wyoming during the Jackalope Tournament on Sept. 11.
Other than Mcelroy and Stuebe, Brian Bei had two trys for Colorado and Shane Milek also found his way across the goal line. Milek finished the night 1-for-2 on conversion kicks as well.
The Rams jumped out to an early lead in the match with Mikey Garrity scoring in the 8th minute, but Ryan Walker missed the tough angle conversion kick to only give CSU the 5-0 advantage.
Walker made up for the miss kick four minutes later with a successfully made a three-point penalty kick, extending the Rams lead to eight.
Bei finally got Colorado on the scoreboard with a try in the 24th minute after the Buffs caught the Rams off guard following a scrum. Milek would miss the conversion kick.
The Rams had possession on the Buffs side of the field for the majority of the first half and took advantage of CU failing to clear the ball deep in their own zone. CSU gained possession off of a Buffs turnover and a few plays later Sam Warren pounded his way in for the try in the 28th minute. The Rams would only be able to get five points out of the score with Walker missing his second conversion kick of the game.
Down 13-5, Colorado finished the first half strong with a last second try in injury time by Milek. Milek would also split the uprights in the conversion kick to cut the Rams lead to one after the first half.
In the second half, the Rams extended their lead once again, but this time to 15 after trys from Warren and Patrick Kobilca and two successful conversion kicks by Walker.
Bei scored a try for Colorado in the 61st minute but Chris Martin missed the conversion kick, giving CSU a 10 point lead.
After another CSU try and a missed conversion kick to make it a 32-17 game, the Buffs came stampeding back with trys from Mcelroy and Stuebe in the final 10 minutes, but CU came up just a few inches short as they were driving for the game winning score.
Colorado will now prepare for the new USA Rugby College Premiere League which begins in March. The Buffs will begin try outs for their spring squad beginning next week.
Scoring Summary
First Half
8' - CSU Mikey Garrity Try, Ryan Walker conversion kick - missed, 0-5 CSU
12' - CSU Ryan Walker penalty kick - good, 0-8 CSU
24' - CU Brian Bei Try, Shane Milek conversion kick - missed, 5-8 CSU
28' - CSU Sam Warren Try, Ryan Walker conversion kick - missed, 5-13 CSU
40+’ - CU Shane Milek Try, Shane Milek conversion kick - good, 12-13 CSU
Second Half
53’ - CSU Sam Warren Try, Ryan Walker conversion kick - good, 12-20 CSU
57’ – CSU Patrick Kobilca Try, Ryan Walker conversion kick - good, 12-27 CSU
61’ - CU Brian Bei Try, Chris Martin conversion kick - missed, 17-27 CSU
69’ - CSU Nicholas Interdonato Try, Ryan Walker conversion kick - missed, 17-32 CSU
73' - CU Harry Mcelroy Try, Austin Lewis conversion kick - good, 24-32 CSU
78' - CU Nick Stuebe Try, Austin Lewis conversion kick - missed, 29-32 CSU
Watch the postgame interview with Colorado associate head coach Jim Snyder at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXralRzfva8
