The Calvin men’s rugby team played a closely contested game against Central Michigan University last Saturday, October 21. Calvin lost by a score of 38-36.

It was the last home game for the Knights; they play on the Phi Chi field behind Knollcrest East Apartments.

Five minutes into the first half, CMU scored and made the conversion go ahead 7-0. Soon after, Walter Eythan Nobles scored by winning the scrum within the 5m zone of Calvin’s side, and succeeded in the conversion, tying the score 7-7.

Possession of the ball went back and forth until the Exiles scored three times in a row with superior ball movement. In addition they succeeded in two out of the three conversions. The first half concluded with as core of 26-7 for Central Michigan.

In the second half, Calvin regained confidence and made a comeback, scoring five times consecutively.

Soon into the second half, the Knights pressed the Exiles into their zone. The Exiles kicked the ball short, and junior Bradley Lanser ran the ball to score in a 20m try, and made the conversion.

Sophomore Isaac Peterson continued the barrage, scoring a close range try and making the conversion to push the score up to 26-24.

A few possession changes later, Bren Homing, senior and captain, scored. However, the conversion attempt failed.

Next up in line to score was Nobles, his second goal of the game. With a good hook from a turnover from the Exile’s scrum, Eythan made a successful run, thrusting Calvin to three points ahead of Central Michigan at 29-26.

With 10 minutes left to the game, Dillon Arndt chased a kick by Samuel Scheenstra, and scored. After the conversion, Calvin was leading by 10 points: 36-26.

With less than six minutes left into the game, Central Michigan scored a goal and succeeded in its attempt for a conversion.

In the last three minutes, Central Michigan combined an array of advantages and penalties to push from the half line to the 10m line. From there, the Exile’s fly broke the line and scored, ending the game at 38-36.

Nobles was impressed with the performance of new players on the team, but noted the lopsidedness of the two halves:

“Second half, we put in our experienced players. The five times we scored in the second half, it was one of our best runs this season. The last 10 minutes was a lack of discipline. We let it get into our head.”