Norwich claims 3rd straight 15s conference title with 35-0 victory over Bentley

LOWELL, Mass. - The Norwich University men's rugby team repeated as Rugby Northeast Conference 15s champions on Sunday with a dominant 35-0 win over Bentley University at UMass Lowell.

Junior Nathan Rolling (Taylorsville, Utah) led Norwich with two tries and earned Man of the Match honors to lead the Cadets to their overall third straight 15s conference championship after NU won the last year of the New England Collegiate Rugby Conference (NECRC) in 2016.

Norwich (8-1, 6-0 Rugby Northeast) also completed its third straight undefeated league (regular season and playoffs) season with the victory. 

Rolling scored in the seventh minute to put the Cadets up 5-0 and they never looked back en route to the victory. Jeffrey Minicucci (Bolton, Conn.) added a penalty kick in the 16th minute to push the lead to 8-0, while Austin Manhey (Ballston Lake, N.Y.)added a converted try in the 28th minute to give Norwich a 15-0 lead.

Minicucci connected on another penalty kick in the 32nd minute to increase the lead to 18-0. McKinley Nagel (Lakewood, Ohio) scored another converted try in the 35th minute to give Norwich a 23-0 lead heading into halftime. 

Rolling opened the second half with a try in the 45th minute to make it 28-0 Cadets and then Korbin Wayton (Highland Village, Texas) closed the scoring in the 62nd minute with a converted try to make it 35-0. 

Norwich now advances to the USA Rugby Division II National Tournament for the third straight year. The Cadets will play in the Sweet Sixteen Nov. 17 and 18 at East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C.