Principia Defeats Washington in Battle of Top Gateway Teams
Principia Defeats Washington in Battle of Top Gateway Teams
Principia has taken hold of the Gateway Conference Eastern Division with a convincing victory over Washington University.
WashU is much improved and went into the game 3-0 and has been playing some solid rugby this fall.
Coaching Reload Sparks Washington University as Gateway Surprise
But Principia ran away with the game in the end 54-10. Despite the scoreline this game was very competitive and very physical. Washington had a good chance to score early through prop Alex Marchok but the Thunder Chickens defense was able to hold him up in-goal. But Principia's overall team speed means they can score on a small amount of possession,and score quickly.
"WashU was our strongest opponent in the Gateway Conference this Fall," said Principia Head Coach Philip Kellerman. "They have put in the hard work and have shown a lot of improvement recently. Their game has a physical element to it that tested our defense, and they were rewarded."
Washington University Head Coach Bryce Krug echoed those sentiments.
"I’m super-proud of my guys," he said. " It was 10-0 after 30 minutes of play, and could have been closer. Both sides started to feel the physical play [later in the game] and the difference in experience that their subs brought was a big difference maker. They were able to create space and deliver some long runs on the outside, which created scoring opportunities that put the decision out of reach. Full marks to Principia for the win, but we feel like this is a performance we can learn from and continue to get better as we go into the conference championships. "
Principia's tenacious defense early on, their overall pace, and their depth were all difference-makers. Freshman loose forward Francisco Alessio was outstanding for Principia, while captain and flyhalf Damir Conci led the attack. Both defended well and both scored three tries on the day.
Washington's was without their regular fullback, Josh Sidelsky, so their regular scrumhalf, Liam Mulkerin, stepped in at fullback with freshman Kai Cho dinning the #9 jersey. Both played well in the new positions, with Cho showing poise and skill. Wing Sebastian Salazar battled well despite being outsized. Up front Marchok and hooker Victor White put in a ton of work.
"We were not our best," said Kellerman, "not in terms of performance nor in terms of having our full team out there. However, it was good for us to have to battle a bit more than we have in recent conference games. It certainly helped us find little things we could do better."
