College William Paterson Rugby Cruises Past Hofstra, Advances to Semi-Finals by Kelly Lynn October 25, 2016 (Photo by Catalina Fragoso – Double G Media) In their Tri-State Conference quarter-final match, William Paterson Rugby put on a clinic of scoring tries, defeating Hofstra University 84-5. On a blustery day that had the goal posts bending backwards, the Pioneers took on the Pride on the Morris Rugby pitch in Morristown. Willy P fans lined their “home” pitch to watch their team light up the scoreboard. The Pioneers looked cohesive as team with their passing being accurate even with the wind taking the ball. That unity helped them muscle the ball down the pitch with little resistance from Hofstra. Where the Pioneers’ shined though was the scrum, nearly winning them all in the 90 minute game. No matter if their scrum half or Hofstra’s placed the ball in, Willy P’s hooker and props were able to push the ball out their backs. However, where the Pioneers’ had difficulty was converting the extra points. In Rugby, unlike American football, the ball is placed out from the spot the try is scored, not just in the middle of the pitch which can make converting for the 2 extra points a challenge. William Paterson had several breakaway tries in the second half that led to the ball being placed along the left side of the pitch which meant the kicker had to hook the ball in. That placement coupled with the winds and sometimes kicking from deep in the sideline crowd made most conversions unsuccessful. The Pioneers came very close to a shutout, but, the last play of the game resulted in a Hofstra try where they were unable to convert the extra points. Next up for the Pioneers’ will be Siena College this Sunday for their semi-final matchup. Post Views: 1,778 The following two tabs change content below.BioLatest Posts Kelly Lynn Kelly is the New Jersey Devils Lead Writer and Rugby Analyst for Double G Media. She is also the site's Social Media Manager. Latest posts by Kelly Lynn (see all) Blackwood Gets Back-to-Back Shutouts to Close 2018 on a Winning Streak - December 28, 2018 A chilly night in Newark as the Devils fall to the Maple Leafs - December 19, 2018 Devils Lose in OT to Isles but should be thankful for a point - November 24, 2018 Devils Win Big Against Habs on Thanksgiving Eve - November 22, 2018 Related TopicsHofstrarugbyWilliam Paterson Click to comment You must be logged in to post a comment Login Leave a Reply Cancel replyYou must be logged in to post a comment. Newsletter Subscription Can't Miss Posts! Women in Sports: NHL Network Host, Jackie Redmond by Nicholas Durst | posted on March 4, 2019 Lochte, Dressel and Ledecky all Chasing Gold at 2021 Tokyo Olympics by Anthony Paradiso | posted on April 18, 2021 You Know I’m Right, Episode 109: The Athletic’s Marc Carig (Audio/Video) by Nicholas Durst | posted on April 19, 2021 Michael Jordan Could Change the Future of Nascar for the Better by Inesh Chari | posted on March 30, 2021 You Know I’m Right, Episode 106: Newsday’s Neil Best (Audio/Video) by Nicholas Durst | posted on April 12, 2021 More in College You Know I’m Right, Episode 107: New York Post’s Columnist Mike Vaccaro (Audio/Video) On the 107th episode of You Know I’m Right, Nick Durst and Joe Calabrese are joined by... Master P’s Son, Hercy, Commits to Tennessee State Master P’s son, Hercy Miller, is committing to Tennessee State to play basketball. While... EA Sports Plans to Revive College Football Video Game EA Sports announced that they plan on making college football video games again. The... UVM Women’s Basketball Team Quits 2020-2021 Season The University of Vermont (UVM) women’s basketball will be ending their 2020-2021 season early... Marist Crushes Davidson For Fourth Straight Win Bump N’ Run w/KT: Jets Go Back To Fitzpatrick, Giants Win In London And Rutgers Loses Close Game