Christendom’s men’s rugby team took third in the Richmond 7s DIII qualifier tournament this past weekend, defeating the University of Richmond 17-5 in the third-place game. It marked their third National Collegiate Rugby National Championship qualifier of the season as they continue their push for a national tournament berth.
The men’s rugby team has played hard all spring, taking on some of the best rugby schools in the country in several qualifier tournaments. Their journey towards another national championship berth began in a DI premier qualifier in Pennsylvania, where they scrapped to a seventh-place finish against top-tier opponents. Then came Georgia’s Peach Cup 7s, where they dominated pool play, shut out Valdosta State 33-0 in the semis, and nearly took down Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the final before surrendering a last-second try in a heartbreaker.
Rolling into Richmond for the Richmond 7s qualifier, Christendom set the tone early, steamrolling Curry College 41-12 behind two tries apiece from Charlie Ackla and Will Kolesar. Hampden-Sydney fell next in a 26-0 rout, with Chris Santschi crossing twice. A 21-5 victory over Susquehanna sealed their spot in the quarterfinals.
The Crusaders came out firing against the United States Merchant Marine Academy, racing to a 24-12 halftime lead. Ackla and Kolesar continued their dominance, with Ackla bagging two tries and Kolesar adding another. The second half was more of the same as Christendom cruised to a 36-17 win.
Sunday’s semifinal against Virginia Military Institute was the toughest matchup of the day. Christendom trailed 0-5 at the break before Ackla broke through for a 7-5 lead. But VMI had the final say, punching in a game-winning try as time expired for a crushing 12-7 loss. The Crusaders rebounded in the third-place match, shutting down Richmond 17-5, with Ackla capping off a stellar weekend as the team’s top scorer.
The team will next head to the University of Notre Dame for the Fighting Irish 7s this coming weekend, where Christendom will take another crack at an NCR national tournament bid.
Men’s Baseball
Christendom’s men’s baseball team has been off to a strong start so far this spring, holding a 7-3 record going into this weekend’s play. Despite dropping both games of a Saturday doubleheader against Central Penn, the squad rebounded in emphatic fashion on Sunday, dismantling Manor College in back-to-back shutouts.
The team jumped on Manor early in the first game, putting up five runs in the first frame and pouring on from there. They would go on to win 26-0, with Gus Coleman and Joe Romero driving in six each in the win.
The second game was more of the same —f ive runs in the first, a nine-run explosion in the third, and another lopsided win, 14-0. Romero launched a homer, Eddie Menke plated four, and Ocean DeKuiper fanned six across four dominant frames on the mound.
The Crusaders hit the road Wednesday to take on Penn State Mont Alto, looking to keep the momentum rolling.
For more, visit christendomathletics.com.