OSHAWA, ON - The Durham College men's rugby team suffered their first loss of the season in competitive play during Sunday's OCAA semifinal.
Humber took advantage of a penalty kick awarded just short of 10 minutes into the match, seeing it right down the middle for an early 3-0 lead.
The first half continued mostly scoreless otherwise until around the 28th minute mark when Nyande Barnes (Brampton, ON) battled past the defensive line for a long run to score the try.
Tyler Janes (Pickering, ON) was successful on the following kick to put the Lords up 7-3.
Andrew Neveu (Uxbridge, ON) battled hard for the second try of the match for the Lords not long before the halftime whistle. This sent the Lords into the break with a 12-3 lead.
Humber scored again only 10 minutes into the second half, keeping themselves in the match and making the score 12-8 following a failed conversion attempt.
Nearing the half hour mark, Sebastian Bonk (Cannington, ON) scored a try to extend the lead for the hosts to 17-8.
Only five minutes later the Hawks responded with a try. After appearing to be stopped at the line, the officials congregated and agreed that the player did in fact move far enough for the score.
Another unsuccessful kick by the Hawks kept the Lords up by four, 17-13 more than halfway through the second half.
The Lords were awarded a penalty kick 38 minutes in and Janes put it right down the middle to restore a seven-point lead for the Lords.
In the dying moments of the second half, the Hawks were awarded a try after the referee and assistant referee met to discuss the play. Humber was successful on the conversion however, tying the match 20-20 and sending it to extra time.
Taking their second lead of the afternoon, the Hawks successfully converted on a penalty kick in the first half of extra time to pull ahead 23-20. That would be the final score of the match and would send the Lords down the bronze medal route to complete the season.
The Durham Lords will host the St. Lawrence Surge at Thompson Rugby Park for the bronze medal match. Stay tuned for further details. The Lords will seek their fifth consecutive medal finish.
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