(Crestview Hills, KY) – The Thomas More University rugby team celebrated their 2021 National Championship season Saturday night at Republic Bank Field with a ring ceremony before the game.
They then avenged their lone loss from the 2021 fall season, with a hard-fought 24-15 victory in their season-opener over the University of Kentucky Wildcats in front of a raucous home crowd.
How It Happened
After trailing 3-0 early after a Wildcats penalty kick,
Matias Caramuti got the Saints on the board with a score just before the end of the first half before converting the kick to make it 7-3 at halftime.
Kentucky would take the lead back early in the second half at 10-7, but a
Tomas Casares score and Caramuti conversion in the 63rd minute gave Thomas More the lead at 14-10.
Santiago Perez Zorraquin gave the Saints some cushion with a score in the 69th minute to go up 19-10.
Kentucky made one final attempt to get back into the game, with a score to make it 19-15, but a failed conversion kept the momentum on Thomas More's side.
Pancho Cuscuna put the final touches on the victory with a score in the 78th minute to cap off the 24-15 win.
The Saints also won the B match 24-10.
What's Up Next
This moves Thomas More to 1-0 on the season, as they return to action in two weeks in Crestview Hills, where they take on Wheeling University in their first game within the Big Rivers Rugby Conference, scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
