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Drama and Controversy in Men DII CRC Quarterfinals

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Drama and Controversy in Men DII CRC Quarterfinals

UNI made it through. Photo Alex Goff.

The Men’s DII division at the CRC was loaded with action, drama, and not a little controversy Sunday in New Orleans.

Lander defeated Georgetown in another impressive display 19-5. That was the biggest winning margin in the quarterfinals. 

The Citadel played a bruising, forward-oriented game against a speedy, dangerous Principia team and won 12-10. Sophomore Coleman Bennett, a convert from the football team, scored a key try and another sophomore, Graham Blondes put in crucial minutes off the bench to seal an upset win.

In Northern Iowa vs Norwich, the teams were tied 12-12 with time essentially up and Northern Iowa dealing with a scrum five meters from their line. UNI won the scrum and attacked, getting the ball to Nick Marker, who blazed downfield. He was caught just before the line, but was able to release, get back to his feed, and dive over for the game-winner 17-12.

And finally, the really strange one. UNC-Wilmington and IUP played a tight match and at full time the score was 19-19. The game went to overtime and Wilmington scored in OT to win the game 24-19.

Not so fast. A consultation among the officials determined that the referee had missed an IUP conversion. The score at full time was actually 21-19. 

The game, then, was awarded to IUP for the full-time score. UNC-Wilmington coaches were livid and in fact feel they have the law on their side in that the referee is officially the scorekeeper, and if the referee says the score is tied at full time, then that’s the score.

But their appeal was not upheld and IUP moves on to the semis.

Video of the match was taken, apparently by IUP, but it is not on their Facebook page at present—as we understand it the Facebook app didn't resolve the video correctly.