Princeton started the spring season winning a 4-team tournament hosted by West Chester and involving schools from three states – Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey. On a cold day made even colder by a 20 mph wind, Princeton, Towson, Temple, and West Chester brought their A and B sides to play each other in a tournament format of shortened matches.
West Chester started as strong favorites, having just beaten the perennial rugby powerhouse University of Delaware 19-10 the week before.
West Chester snatched a last minute 7-5 win against a very big and physical Towson team in the opening match. Princeton beat Temple 24-0 in the next game. Princeton played well to beat a good West Chester side 52-0 in the tournament final. Towson then beat Temple to determine the 3rd and 4th placed teams. In the B bracket, Princeton started the day with a close 10-7 loss to Towson, but then showed good improvement to beat Temple 22-7 in the afternoon.
Princeton’s A-side Man of the Match in the Temple game was Ben Schuler, and Nezim Mmegwa was our Man of the Match in the A-side West Chester game.
Princeton’s B-side Man of the Match in the Towson game was Ben Hildenbrand, and Alex Bechtold was our Man of the Match in the B-side Temple game.
Richard Lopacki
Director of Rugby & Men’s Head Coach
Princeton University
