The run for Towson University ended Sunday at James Madison University, as JMU bottled up the Tigers and won their national Men’s DII quarterfinal 17-6.

 

The #3-ranked JMU side showed why they are ranked so highly with a dominating performance. Madison may have scored only three tries, but they limited Towson to just two long-range penalty kicks, and kept Towson inside their own 22 for much of the game.

 

“Our scrum dominated and they were playing defense most of the game,” said JMU Head Coach Mark Lambourne. “We probably should have scored some more tries, but we put in a really good, all-around team performance.”

 

Towson just couldn’t get anything going, James Madison led early thanks to a try from Kyle Yamane, but Towson closed the gap with one of their rare forays into JMU territory. Eric Sweeney booted over the penalty to make it 5-3. 

 

Madison extended their lead with a try from Matt Narzikul to make it 10-3. Sweeney thumped over a long-range kick early in the second half, making it 10-6, but after that Towson had all sorts of trouble getting scoring opportunities.

 

Late in the second half, Madison sent flyhalf Chris Kunkel over, and after Kunkel converted, that was pretty much it.

 

Along with the wings and Kunkel, No. 8 Mike Creighton and flanker Evan Larson were strong for JMU. Inside center Declan Costello was a handful with the ball in hand. 

 

“It wasn’t anything special,” said Lambourne. “We just went through the phases. But I also wasn’t surprised. This is a good team, we’re playing well, and we got some good work playing Kutztown’s 2nd side last week. I wasn’t surprised.”

Madison will play #1 Minnesota-Duluth in the semis after the Fighting Penguins shut out UW-Stout Sunday.