Mount St. Mary’s University men’s rugby opened conference play with a 43-37 comeback victory over Southern Virginia on Sept. 18, 2026, in Emmitsburg, Md. Mount St. Mary’s overcame a 14-point deficit during the final 15 minutes and secured the victory in extra time.
Benjamin Quiroga led Mount St. Mary’s with 28 points, scoring two tries and adding three conversion kicks and four penalty kicks. The junior fullback converted two penalty kicks in extra time after the match was tied 37-37 with 28 seconds remaining in regulation.
Mount St. Mary’s Men’s Rugby Overcomes 14-Point Deficit
Southern Virginia struck first, but Mount St. Mary’s answered with a try 15 minutes into the match. Quiroga converted the ensuing kick to give Mount St. Mary’s a 7-5 lead before Southern Virginia regained the advantage with a try three minutes later and added another score.
Quiroga connected on three penalty kicks during the first half, including one at the 27-minute mark, as Mount St. Mary’s cut Southern Virginia’s lead to 22-16. Southern Virginia opened the second half with the first points and later added two more scores to build a 14-point advantage with 15 minutes remaining.
Mount St. Mary’s then scored three unanswered tries to level the match. Quiroga accounted for two of those tries, while junior captain Saige Calvo managed the match during the closing stages of the comeback.
Junior Chase Brown contributed on offense and defense, carrying the ball in attack and making tackles. Freshman Rory Adair also delivered a strong defensive performance and secured a crucial penalty late in extra time, creating another long-range opportunity for Quiroga.
Benjamin Quiroga Delivers in Extra Time
Quiroga attempted a long-range kick from near midfield with Mount St. Mary’s seeking the lead, but the attempt did not convert. The score remained tied at 37-37 with 28 seconds left in regulation before the teams exchanged kicks for field position as the match moved into extra time.
After Adair secured the penalty, Quiroga converted from long range to put Mount St. Mary’s ahead. Mount St. Mary’s regained possession on a lineout, and Quiroga sent another kick through the uprights to complete the 43-37 victory.
Mount St. Mary’s Men’s Rugby Schedule
Mount St. Mary’s will welcome Mary Washington to Echo Field on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 1 p.m. The match will be Mount St. Mary’s next contest after its conference-opening comeback.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
Mount St. Mary’s turned a 14-point deficit into a six-point victory by scoring three unanswered tries and finishing the match in extra time. Quiroga supplied 28 points, while Calvo, Brown and Adair made important contributions during the comeback and late defensive sequence.
Source: Original report
