GRR: AIC
It’s a non-conference game that doesn’t mean anything, except it means a lot and no one is backing down.
American International College, ranked #20 by Goff Rugby Report, fresh off an undefeated run in the ECRC, hosts #7 Kutztown, still stung by a close loss to Army that likely cost them the Rugby East title.
AIC clinched 1st in the ECRC conference with an impressive 45-20 victory over Middlebury Saturday, finishing a 6-0 campaign.
In a game where Middlebury had a shot at taking 1st, the teams were in a tight contest in the first half, with the teams changing ends 17-10 AIC.
It was 20-13 early in the second half before AIC started to pull away.
With AIC's 45-20 defeat of Middlebury, the ECRC conference season is complete. AIC finishes 1st, while Middlebury, which had a shot at 1st, slips to 4th.
Middlebury ended the season 4-2, but so did BC and UMass. Both teams ended the season with big victories, and thus get past the Panthers on points difference.
AIC trailed 31-29 with no time left when they burrowed their way to the Army tryline, and No. 8 Jess Davis scored to win the gam for the Massachusetts school.
American International College put their stamp on the ECRC with a 30-17 defeat of Boston College, the only other undefeated team in the conference.