In the feature matchup at the Penn Invitational in Elkhart, Ind. that pitted two time defending USA Rugby D1-AA champion Davenport against 2012 DII champion Lindenwood, the Lions came up short on Saturday, losing a fast and physical game by a final score of 14-10.  It marked the first collegiate loss for Lindenwood in program history.

Weather conditions made it a contest of strategy as the Panthers had a stiff wind at their backs during the first half.  They used it to play a territory game for the first 40 minutes, pinning Lindenwood in their end, but the Lions defense would not be breached except for three successful penalty kicks which gave Davenport a 9-0 lead at the break.

With the tailwind the second half, Lindenwood opened up the offense and quickly scored when flanker Sebastian Kalm burst through the Panther defense to come just short of the try-line.  That set up a short range score from Nick Markowski on the next phase of play.  With the conversion from Jake Divich, the Lions closed the gap to just two points.

The Panthers would score the eventual winning points on their only try of the game which came in the corner of the zone after a sustained attack from the Davenport forwards.  With the score 14-7 in favor of the Panthers, Lindenwood replied with a Divich penalty kick minutes later, but the Lions still trailed 14-10 as the final flurry of the game ensued.

With time running down, Lindenwood center James Poli took an offload pass from #8 Tamatasi Paogofie-Buyten and headed for the try line, but as Poli was crashing through the Davenport defense for the go ahead score, the ball was knocked loose on a hard hit from a Panther defender.  That would prove to be the last scoring chance for the Lions as they were defeated 14-10. 

Without two top players in Morgan Findlay and Tyler Black, the back row of flanker Trevor Locke, Kalm and Paogofie-Buyten performed admirably for Lindenwood, as did locks Mike Gierlach and Nathan Rankin, prop Austin Tijerina, centers Maanihera Kapa and Poli, wing Jake O’Neill and halfback Markowski.

With the lost, the Lions are 1-1 in collegiate play this season and now have a 21-1 record in the program’s history.  They will look to rebound against Truman State on the road October 13 with the opening kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. in Kirksville, Mo.