The US Military Academy Black Knights scored three late tries to turn  27-24 nailbiter into a 46-36 victory over Penn State Friday night in Pennsylvania.

Army remains undefeated in 11 Rugby East games going back through last season; they are 4-0 on conference play this fall and ranked #1 by Goff Rugby Report.

Penn State, ranked #3, put up a sterling effort in new Head Coach Blake Burdette’s first game, but couldn’t hold on.

Penn State opened the scoring with a try from Sean Mahon. Cam Hargis equalized in the 18th minute and then went over for his second five minutes later and a 14-7 Army lead. PSU scrumhalf Jimmy Ronan slotted a penalty to inch his side closer at 14-10, and that’s basically how the game would go, with teams alternating scoring. Thomas Del Pino added a penalty for a 17-10 Army led at halftime.

Soon it was 22-10 when Jake Banarhall went over early in the second half. But Penn State replied once more - Kiefer Kei-Boguinard’s converted try putt the Nittany Lions within five. Army’s Luke Heun scored at 51 minutes, and Kei-Boguinard then added his second to made it 27-24 with 20 minutes to go.

It was at this point that Army put the game away. Tries by Andrew Irwin and David Huff on a thundering run, both converted by Del Pino, put the Knights up 41-24 with ten minutes to go. Mike Eife’s try for Penn State cut the lead, but it was too much to do in too little time. Huff iced it with three minutes to go, and while Penn State scored once more, it was as time expired.

Two bonus points, then, for Penn State and certainly a strong outing, but a chance at unseating the defending champion Black Knights felt away between 20 and ten minutes to go. 

Army 46

Tries: Hargis 2, Banarhall, Heun,  Irwin, Huff 2

Convs: Borer 2, Del Pino 2

Pens: Del Pino

Penn State 36

Tries: Mahon, Kei-Boguinard 2, Eife, Other

Convs: Ronan 4

Pens: Ronan

Updated Rugby East standings