The Memphis Tigers won their first Southeastern Collegiate Rugby Conference game in their program history, defeating the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 19-17 just as time expired.
The Tigers scored a game-tying try on the final drive of the game. Brittin Roedel won the game on a successful conversion kick to push the Tigers to a 2-0 start to the season following wins against both Georgia Tech and the University of North Alabama.
“This win means a lot to us,” Roedel said. “We wanted to set a statement coming into this conference. Winning just sets that statement for us.”
Memphis built an early lead after Derek Colston scored a try and Roedel scored a conversion kick. Ethan Scott later scored a try to increase the score 12-0. Roedel missed the next conversion kick, and the Tigers did not score another point for the next 40 minutes.
Georgia Tech, on the other hand, scored a try on the final play of the first half and missed the conversion kick. Although the Yellow Jackets still trailed 12-5 after the first half, by no means were they out of the game.
Georgia Tech returned to the game in the second half scoring two tries and completing one conversion kick. The Yellow Jackets put up 17 unanswered points, and the Tigers came back on the last ticket to win. Trailing 17-12, Memphis had to score a try to salvage the game. If the drive stopped for any reason, the game would have ended.
Memphis Tigers coach Steve Swatzyna said he thought his team allowed Georgia Tech to take over in the second half because the team abandoned their game plan and underestimated their opponent.
“We started off the second half thinking we had the game won,” Swatzyna said. “Everyone collectively got a little overconfident. We regrouped within the last five minutes and won.”
Georgia Tech was incapable of holding the Tigers off the scoreboard despite their efforts. Two yellow cards were given to the Yellow Jackets during the second half, and two players were removed for the remainder of the game as a result. Both calls gave the Tigers a player count advantage of 15 to 13. The Tigers did not waste the two-player advantage.
Colston scored the final try of the game after the Tigers went down the field. A good push from Andrew Turk gave Colston everything he needed to reach the try zone and tie the game. Whether the Tigers would leave the field with a tie or a win hinged on a complete kick from Roedel.
Roedel took his time, lined himself up with the ball and kicked the ball through the uprights to win the first SCRC match in Tiger rugby history.
“It feels amazing, and it means everything to win,” Colston said. “We knew coming into this new conference that we needed to come in with a bang and show them how we play in the 901.”
Although Swatzyna predicted a 12 or 14 point win in an earlier interview, he said he was pleased with what instead transpired.
“I think winning a two-point match in a battle like we had today was far more advantageous to us than taking a 60-point victory over an inferior team,” Swatzyna said.
Following the first game, the two teams agreed to play a junior varsity match. The Tigers had a repeat success with a more convincing 22-5 win.
“Starting 2-0 is a good way to start in the SCRC,” Swatzyna said. “I don’t know if it could get much better than that. It was a good hard fought game.”
Memphis will travel to Nashville to face the Tennessee Volunteers in a neutral site game Sept. 21.
Derek Colston scores the game-tying try to set up the game winning conversion kick. Colston scored two tries in the win against Georgia Tech 19-17.
