December 8 - Reigning 7s National champion Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Southeastern Conference champion Memphis continued their quests for a 15s national title Friday with semifinal wins over Vermont and top-ranked Northern Iowa, respectively, at SaberCat Stadium in Houston, TX. The Crimson Hawks and Tigers play for the DII championship Sunday at 2:00 p.m. CST.
The Crimson Hawks advanced to the final with a gritty 19-6 win over the resilient Catamounts. IUP scored three tries in the opening 23 minutes, but Vermont’s defense stiffened and held them off the scoreboard the rest of the contest. Flanker Dylan McAnulty set up the first two tries with monster stiff-arms, dotting down the first himself, and teeing up scrumhalf RJ Beach for the other.
IUP’s final try came during the counterattack from a goal-line dropout. Dom Holmes looked to score, but knocked on in the try zone, resulting in the kick for Vermont. The Crimson Hawks converted the pressure to points, and it looked like the floodgates might open.
The Catamounts added a pair of penalties in the first half, keeping IUP within two scores. Despite several promising possessions in the attacking end, handling kept Vermont from crossing the try line all night.
The second semifinal also looked like it might turn into a rout. Memphis scored first, but UNI reeled off three tries in quick succession, taking a 19-7 lead. Jentry Staak dotted one down off a penalty quick-tap, and Nicholas Marker smashed a few Tigers en route to another.
Memphis then went on a three-try run, taking a 26-19 lead. No. 8 Harry Hagan got it started with a storming carry off the back of a scrum, and scrumhalf Caleb Schmidt dove over as well. Northern Iowa scrumhalf David Randall wrestled momentum back for the Panthers, sniping a try off the base of a ruck to tie the game.
UNI regained the lead when Staack quick-tapped his second try of the match, but the conversion was no good. Memphis answered through inside center Sehrab Bagha, who throat-slammed the final UNI defender on his way to pay dirt. Memphis converted, giving the Tigers a 33-31 lead near the 60-minute mark.
Staack slotted a penalty to put the Panthers up, 34-33, and UNI looked destined to make it a two-score game, knocking on the door of the try line. But the Tigers turned them over in the last meter and piled up a 95-meter drive, capped off by hooker Musa Banat.
A quick long-range strike from wing Christian Flynn put the Panthers down two scores with under 10 minutes to play. Staack seemingly beat the entire Memphis backline to give UNI a shot late, and the Panthers stacked phases on top of each other at the death, but an errant pass found touch, ending the comeback bid.
