Norwich defeats Middlebury for NECRC 7s Championship

KINGSTON, R.I. – The Norwich University men’s rugby team claimed its first New England Collegiate Rugby Conference (NECRC) Tournament title on Sunday.

Norwich Punches Ticket to Nationals on a Perfect Day

The Norwich Cadets posted a perfect 4-0 record, including a come-from-behind 15-5 victory over Middlebury College in the finals to punch its ticket to the USA Rugby Division II 7s National Championships hosted in Glendale, Colo. on May 19-21.

Norwich defeated the University of New Hampshire 19-17 in its opener and then downed University of Rhode Island 31-5 in the second game of the day. The Cadets improved to 3-0 with a 19-10 victory over the University of Vermont to set up the final showdown with Middlebury.

URugby Assists in Last Official Event of the New England Collegiate Rugby Conference

URugby consulted the officials of the New England Collegiate Rugby Conference in the setup of this year's sevens event setting timing and match ups. Yesterday was the final event of the NECRC as the conference will be no more beginning this fall. The University of New Hampshire won the first NECRC 7s title in 2014 with the Coast Guard Academy taking the last two titles before leaving the conference at the end of last season.

Norwich Cadets Scoring

Mark Hill, Eric Pierone and Josh Johnson all scored a try, while Keegan Frick went 2-for-3 on conversions to lead the Norwich Cadets’ offense in the 19-17 win over UNH.

Eli Henderson led the Cadets’ offense vs. URI with two tries, while Pierone, Anthony Candrilli and Tom St. Pierre chipped in with one try apiece. Frick went 3-for-4 on conversions and St. Pierre added one as well.

Candrilli, Nate Rollins and Frick scored in the 19-10 win over UVM with Frick making 2-of-3 conversions.

The Cadets fell behind 5-0 at halftime vs. Middlebury, who was also 3-0 on the day entering the fourth and final match. Henderson scored two tries and then St. Pierre added another one late to clinch the 15-5 win and secure the 15s and 7s titles sweep for Norwich.

The Cadets’ NECRC 7s title adds to a banner year for the NU men’s rugby program after they went 11-1 in the fall in 15s, claiming the NECRC 15s title and finishing third in the nation with the program’s first USA Rugby Division II 15s Final Four appearance.

The Norwich B side also had a standout day, going 3-1 and falling only to Middlebury 21-15 in the last game of the day.

NECRC 7s Match Results

24 Middlebury B vs 5 URI B
17 Norwich B vs 12 UNH B
5 UVM B vs 31 UNH B
29 Norwich B vs 10 URI B
41 Norwich B vs 5 UVM B
17 Middlebury B vs 5 UNH B
45 Middlebury B vs 0 UVM B
5 URI B vs 29 UNH B
12 UVM B vs 20 URI B
15 Norwich B vs 21 Middlebury B

33 Middlebury A vs 0 URI A
19 Norwich A vs 17 UNH A
14 UVM A vs 38 UNH A
31 Norwich A vs 5 URI A
19 Norwich A vs 10 UVM A
12 Middlebury A vs 10 UNH A
24 Middlebury A vs 5 UVM A
14 URI A vs 31 UNH A
10 UVM A vs 21 URI A
15 Norwich A vs 5 Middlebury A