GLENDALE, Colo. – The Norwich University men's rugby team made its debut at the USA Rugby Division II 7s National Championship on Saturday at Infinity Park. The Cadets went 1-2 in pool play and failed to make the top-eight knockout round stage of the tournament. 

Norwich (12-9) opened the day with a 19-17 loss to Southern Conn. State. The Cadets then responded with a 19-12 victory over Hartford in its second game, before falling 33-21 to the defending national champion Principia. 

The Cadets finished in third place in Pool A, missing the second wild card spot on point differential. NU will still play two more matches in the shield bracket on Sunday. 

Anthony Candrilli, Eli Henderson and Eric Pierone each scored tries in the opening match with Keegan Frick making 1-of-3 conversions. The Cadets stormed out to a 10-0 lead by halftime, but SCSU rallied back with the next two converted tries to take a 14-10 lead. Pierone put the Cadets back on top 17-14. However, SCSU scored in the closing minutes to take a 19-17 win. 

In Game 2, Nate Rolling and Tom St. Pierre had first half tries to take 12-0 lead. Hartford scored 12 straight to tie it, but NU scored a try on the final play of the match with a conversion by Frick to take 19-12 victory and level the Cadets' record to 1-1 on the day. 

In the third and final game, Principia stormed out to a 19-0 lead, NU was able to cut the lead to 19-14 with tries from Candrilli and Henderson, but Principia scored two more converted tries to take a 33-14 lead. Josh Johnson added a late try, but it was too little too late as the Cadets fell 33-21 to the defending national champions, who ended up finishing in fourth place in the pool. 

Norwich will face UT-San Antonio or St. Louis University in the shield semifinals on Sunday.