Men's rugby held off a late onslaught from the United States Naval Academy to defeat the Midshipmen 12-7 Saturday night at Hunter Stadium in St. Charles, Missouri. 

In the first Mid-South Conference action of the season, No. 5 Lindenwood hosted a No. 4 Navy team that arrived undefeated through the fall. 

A grueling and physical affair was anticipated and the first 20 minutes lived up to expectations.  Hooker Stephen McLeish and second row Emmanuel Albert led the Lions charge on defense as they consistently tackled Midshipmen players behind the gain line.  The Lindenwood scrum, led by props Joe Stewart and Liam Smith, earned multiple penalties, and the Lions lineout towered over Navy, but offside and tackle penalties relieved some of the pressure on the Midshipmen.   

In the 28^th minute, Lindenwood finally found a foothold and went to work.  Flanker Cian Darling charged between two defenders and scored the first try of the match. Center Reece Botha converted to give the Lions a 7-0 lead, which held up until the end of the first half. 

Both sides brought renewed vigor in the second half, particularly on defense, but a spectacular play led to another try for Lindenwood.  Flyhyalf Andreas Livadaras placed a cross-kick in the hands of Botha who then released wing Cael Hodgson into space for the score and a 12-0 advantage.

Ten minutes later, the referee deemed that Smith entered a maul from the side and awarded Navy with a penalty try to cut the deficit to just five.  With the Midshipmen clearly within striking distance, the Lions reserves stepped up.  Flanker Isaiah Davies Faleuka made several tackles and had some key carries to get Lindenwood out of trouble. 

The rest of the match was played mostly in the Lions end of the pitch, but clutch defense kept Navy from scoring.  Scrumhalf Richard Felton, who had been tremendous all match, kicked the ball dead and the final whistle sounded. 

Earlier in the day, the Lions second XV defeated the Royal Ramblers D2 squad 45-10 at the Lou Fusz Soccer Complex in St. Louis. 

The Ramblers featured several former Lions including Brian Moylett, Jeremy Leber, and Stephen Duff.  It took a while for Lindenwood to settle into the match and as a result, that trio, along with several other talented men's club players, helped the Ramblers win the first 20 minutes of the match and build a 10-0 lead, but the Lions started to come to life in the final minutes of the first half.  Number eight Skyler Mitchell and center Dylan Ramirez each scored a try within two minutes and each was converted by Jake Jacobson.  Jacobson added a penalty kick and a try of his own to give Lindenwood a 22-10 advantage at the break.

The Lions scored four tries in the first 20 minutes of the second half.  Two came from Jacobson, another from Mitchell, and one from reserve fullback Ryan Thompson.  The final 20 minutes passed without any more scoring, but Gabriel Rendon and Juan Mota Sanchez displayed some impressive defense from the flanker position.

After the first game, the Lindenwood third XV stopped the Royal Ramblers D3 squad 44-5. 

A very young and energetic Lions side started quickly with Evan Conlon scoring in the first minute.  Flanker Deven Mason, number eight Brandon Babalola, and wing Zach Eglin also scored before the 20-minute mark.  The Royal Ramblers punched one over the line just before halftime, but Lindenwood led 22-5 at the break. 

The Lions started quickly again in the second half with Lochlan Charley dotting down in the opening minutes, but the offense stagnated a bit from there, giving Jordan Olive and William Scott an opportunity to shine on defense for Lindenwood.  In the final 20 minutes, the Lions found their offense again as the backline erupted.  Flyhalf Preston Hammerschmidt scored three tries and wing Jacob Schroeder added one of his own for the final margin.

With the trio of wins, Lindenwood improved to 11-0 overall.  The Lions will travel to Little Rock, Arkansas November 9-10 to compete in the Ozarks Rugby Tournament at the Little Rock Rugby Complex.