SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - It came down to the final plays once again, but the American International College men's rugby team won a 35-32 Liberty Rugby Conference victory over Siena College on Friday, September 13.

AIC is 2-0 overall and in the LRC.

The Saints jumped to a 3-0 lead on a penalty kick by Fredrich De Koker just 2:35 in after AIC was called for an infraction at the 22-meter line. However, the Yellow Jackets quickly turned things around and scored less than two minutes later, with Ivan Rossi crossing the try line and his elder brother German Rossi converting. AIC then drove in again, with Demitrius Ta'ape scoring to extend the edge to 12-3.

Both teams pushed hard, and near to the try lines, over the next 12 minutes before AIC finally finished again, with Ta'ape scoring his second late in the 19th minute and Rossi converting. That was it until a frenetic finish to the first that began when German Rossi scored a penalty kick with 3:50 to play. Two minutes later, the Saints drew another penalty of their own, only to have De Koker push it to the right. However, Luca Holloway scored a try in stoppage time, and De Koker hit the conversion, to leave AIC ahead just 22-10 at the break.

The ending to the first was a harbinger of things to come in the second. Holloway struck again nine minutes in, but AIC countered as Terry Jayaguru broke free, and with German Rossi's conversion the Yellow Jackets led 29-15 with just over 26 minutes to play.

The Saints scored the next two tries to cut into the deficit, as Anthony Guarino and Harry Ryder pulled the guests within four with 10 minutes left. Crucially, the Saints missed both conversion attempts.

AIC bounced back, and it was the leg of German Rossi again adding to the total as he scored a penalty with 6:40 to play, restoring AIC to a seven-point advantage. They needed all of it, as De Koker struck a try just two minutes later and Holloway converted, tying the contest.

The Yellow Jackets swiped away the next kick, and pushed toward the try line again. Once more, the team drew a penalty, this one nearly 35 yards from the uprights, but Rossi asked to kick, and nailed it for a 35-32 advantage with barely two minutes to play.

The final moments were a frenzy of action as the Saints took control of the ball and drove into AIC territory. Time and again they attacked the line, and time and again AIC repelled the Saints. Finally, with no time left, a call against Siena gave AIC possession, and the Yellow Jackets kicked it out of play to end the match with a critical win.

The Yellow Jackets next host Dartmouth College on Sunday, September 22 at noon.