ANNAPOLIS, Md.– Notre Dame College men's rugby traveled to visit Navy, on Oct. 28. NDC had a true challenge in front of them as Navy was the 2022 Rugby East Conference Champions and USA Rugby National Champions, last spring. Not only that history, but the Midshipmen were also unbeaten entering that weekend. The Falcons led at the halftime break, but Navy took over in the second half and defeated Notre Dame, 50-19.
 
With sun coming out on a warm day, NDC kicked off to Navy into the deep middle of the pitch. Putting pressure on the Navy men, NDC pushed forward with their kicking game, forcing errors and gaining set piece attacks. Lachlan McDonald broke through the line-off with a scrum move, gaining territory into Navy's 22. It was finished off with an easy dot over the line by Remy Thomson, giving NDC five points. The kick was converted by McDonald and NDC led, 7-0.
 
NDC pushed back, again, with their kicking battle, forcing a turnover in Navy's 22. With quick hands on the short right-hand side from the backs, Ashawnty Staples ran around the posts for a try. McDonald followed up with two points, and NDC led 14-0.
 
Navy fired back and scored after a hard defensive stand by the strong NDC wall, but missed the conversion. Navy scored again, in the right corner, cutting the deficit to four points, 14-10.
 
Navy received the kick off and NDC put the pressure back on. Cameron Mills and Christian Gatica charged down the Box Kick, regathering back into Navy's 22. NDC set up shop with a knock on from Navy, playing a well-executed scrum set piece putting Lachlan McDonald over the line.
 
To finish the first half, Navy worked back up the field and scored another try, but missed the conversion again. NDC led at the half, 19-15.
 
The second half started with Navy kicking deep into NDC territory. A strong back-and-forth attack between the two teams created a great first 15 minutes. Navy struck first and scored left of the post and converted the try to take a 22-19 lead.
 
Following that try, the ball started rolling for Navy. They started putting the pressure on with their kicking game, changing the course of the game. Following some kicking errors from NDC, Navy gets a line out and played the hands to score on the right-hand side. The try was converted, making the score, 29-19. Navy scored three more tries, making the final score 19-50.
 
SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – The Falcons, ranked No. 3 went up against St. Bonaventure University, who was No. 2 at the time. Notre Dame walked away with an impressive 28-19 victory, on Nov. 4, and climbed back up to No. 2 in the National Collegiate Rugby Men's Division I rankings.
 
The game started with a deep kickoff into NDC territory and the Bonnies came out with physical tackles. An early yellow card was given to St. Bonaventure, within the first two minutes of the game. But, SBU did extremely well to contain the attack and drain the clock, allowing their yellow card offender to come back into the game. The Bonnies received a penalty in front of the poles and decide to go for points. With a successful kick, St Bonaventure led the Falcons, 3-0.
 
Good defensive pressure from NDC put them into an attacking opportunity from a set piece lineout. NDC would go over the line for the first try of the game and led, 7-3.
 
The Bonnies were able to get good field position off the NDC kick and had a scoring opportunity. However, the stellar goal line defence from the Falcons turned it into a turnover an incredible exit to release the pressure.
 
St. Bonaventure was on the back foot, trying to exit from their 22, and NDC received the ball back and continued to build the pressure by attacking in SBU territory. Eventually, with multiple entrances into the 22, NDC had a scrum on the five-meter line. With an incredible display of scrum dominance, the Falcons drove over for their second try of the game to take a 14-3 advantage. 
 
At the end of the first half, the Bonnies received a penalty within the 22 of NDC and elected to go for poles. They converted the kick and made the score, 14-6.
 
The second half of the game featured more excitement as the first few minutes were fast flowing rugby with big hits coming from both sides. A massive defensive effort from NDC saw a knock on coming from the Bonnies. That led to a quick tap penalty taken and a line break being made. NDC nearly scored in the corner, but a good scramble defence from St. Bonaventure forced a goal line drop. SBU received multiple penalties, leading to an inevitable try from the Bonnies in the corner, closing the score to one, 14-13.
 
Continuous pressure from Bonnies led to multiple conceded penalties by NDC, thus resulting in the second yellow card of the day, and first for Notre Dame. St. Bonaventure decided to go for the poles, again, and they made the kick to take a 16-14 lead.
 
A few minutes later, another penalty is conceded by NDC in front of the poles and the Bonnies, yet again, go for the three points and connect on the kick.
 
With about ten minutes left in the game, NDC had a line out in their 22 and they created a line break of the maul. However, the Bonnies hold them up and received a scrum penalty. A dominant NDC scrum saw the Falcons getting the ball back. A pick and go from the 8th man, down the left-hand side of the field, created an overlap. Notre Dame found a way to get the game-tying try and, with a tough kick from the sideline, NDC converted to lead 21-19, with a few minutes left in the game.
 
St. Bonaventure built pressure and threw everything at the Falcons, hoping to break the NDC defensive efforts. The Falcons' defense stands strong and gets a scrum penalty. NDC kicks for the line and has a lineout on the five-meter line. A good maul leads to multiple pick and drives from the base of the ruck and an inevitable try, making the score 28-19, securing the win for Notre Dame.
 
The Falcons will host the First Round of the NCR Playoffs. They welcome Siena College to Mueller Field, on Nov. 18. The scheduled start time is 12 p.m.