LEWISBURG, PA -- The Alfred University men's rugby 7s team concluded its regular season with a 2-3 record at the MARC Automatic Qualifier 7s Tournament over the weekend.

"It was a good weekend and a ton of guys stepped up and played great," Eddie Hart IV (Wilton, NY/Saratoga Springs) said. "I'm really proud of the guys sticking with it all year. I've been very lucky to play alongside them all year."

AU (10-9) opened the tournament with a 26-22 loss to Howard University with Ayomideji Israel-Akinbo (Makhanda, Eastern Cape, South Africa/St. Andrews College) scoring three tries. Phillip Peterson III (Auburn, NY/Auburn) also notched a try in the comeback effort falling just short.

However, they rebounded nicely on Saturday against the University of Rochester with a 31-20 win. Israel-Akinbo opened the scoring with Nathan Towne (Ellenville, NY/Ellenville Jr/Sr) scoring both of his tries of the weekend in the match. Shamar Imang (Paramaribo, Suriname/Ewald P. Meyer Lyceum) and Chevon Adriaans (Paramaribo, Suriname/SGS) both scored a try with Adriaans also leading AU with five conversions throughout the weekend. 

They fell in the third game 52-0 against nationally-qualified Slippery Rock and opened Sunday's festivities with a 27-10 loss to DeSales University with Israel-Akinbo scoring the Saxons' two tries. He also recorded a successful conversion on Sunday afternoon.

Finally, they ended the tournament with an 11th place finish thanks to a win against York Univerisity of Pennsylvania in a 32-5 final. Hart led AU with three tries in the match. 

Peterson III notched on another try alongside Imang, while Sekou Camara (Conakry, Guinea/ICSA) wrapped up the scoring with his first try of the season. It earned him the man of the tournament belt for the Saxons.

Alfred University will wait to see if they earn an at-large big for the Rugby National Championships in Washington DC while transitioning and preparing for the XVs fall season.

— Swords Forward Saxons —