UMW hosted a big and physical Southern VA team in Fredericksburg today and emerged with a 32-0 victory. UMW controlled possession easily 75% of the game and often had trouble making the last pass - but played excellent defense throughout.
UMW's flankers Tobey Barnfield-Lee and Lloyd Stephens and lock Nick Ball insured that SVU did not see a lot of running space throughout on the fringes of a scrappy game at the breakdown.
Southern VA had done a fair job controlling possession in the first half of their loss to Navy the previous week and UMW knew they had to work hard to deny them ball.
UMW's scrumhalf, Kit Waddington started the scoring and Sebastian Schefermann converted to put the home side up 7-0.
UMW continued to move the ball side to side, scoring three more try's - all unconverted. Michael Gray scoring a nice try from the centers and Sebastian Schefermann scoring 2 more from the wing. At the half it was UMW 22, SVU 0.
UMW again dominated possession in the second half and spent a good deal of the half in one corner of the field, searching for that last pass despite some very attractive play.
UMW finally settled for a penalty in front of the posts which Schefermann converted.
UMW backs wasted away the clock in the second half with some long clearing kicks and Connor Conn Foster countered one of these series with a great speedy run down the right wing, converted by Schefermann.
UMW travels to highly ranked Navy this coming Saturday for a big Rugby East match.