Sports > February 21, 2008

By Donovan Carberry | Staff writer

The Wake Forest rugby team took on Appalachian State at home on Feb. 9. The Deacons topped the Mountaineers 11-3 but fell to East Carolina 18-11 on Feb. 16. App. State came out strong with hard runs from their number five and number eight in the first five minutes.

The Mountaineers struck first with a penalty goal (worth three points) from their fullback a few minutes later.

The Deacons took back the momentum 10 minutes into the half, keeping the bulk of possession and territory. The only first half scoring Wake could muster was a drop goal from senior flyhalf Tyler Eure to tie it.

After controlling most of the first half, Wake found themselves on their heels as a rejuvenated App. State continually pressured the Wake tryline in the second half.

The Deacon defense held firm with the help of a questionable call; the App. State forwards drove a maul into the tryzone and appeared touchdown, but the referee ruled that the ball was held up.

Wake struggled to get into an offensive rhythm for most of the second half but did have a few good breaks from their backline.

With 18 minutes left and the score still deadlocked at three, Wake caught another break when the Mountaineers flyhalf, a North Carolina Rugby Union All-Star, was yellow-carded. With App. State down a man junior fullback Christopher Commins fielded a kick around midfield, beat several App. State defenders and then offloaded to freshman prop Matt Storck who took the ball in to give Wake an 8-3 lead.

Eure was no good on the conversion (which would have been worth two), but minutes later he slotted a penalty goal to give Wake an 11-3 lead.

The carded flyhalf returned before the end of the game but the Mountaineers failed to cut into the deficit.Following their victory over App. State, the Deacons were 2-0 in conference play in their first season in Division II.

They looked to solidify a post season birth when they took on East Carolina at home on Feb. 16, but it was not to be. ECU also came into the game with a 2-0 record after victories over N.C. State and UNC-Wilmington.

The Pirates took a 6-0 lead early following two penalty goals from their fullback.

Wake cut the lead to three after a penalty goal from Eure, but ECU’s forwards scored a try and made the conversion just before the half.

Deacons trailed 13-3 at the half.

Wake dominated possession and territory in the second half but just couldn’t score. Relief came mid-way through the half when sophomore flanker Trenton Justice touched down.

Eure missed the conversion but had cut the lead to five.

With time dwindling away, Eure managed a drop goal to bring the Deacons within two, but a loose ball from the Deacons was retrieved by the ECU inside center who ran it back into the tryzone sealing the Pirates win, 18-11.

The loss to ECU means Wake must win its final regular season game against a 0-2 N.C. State on Feb. 23 in Raleigh if they hope to make the South playoffs.