Brown Men's Rugby Secures Victory Under Adverse Conditions at AIC
In a riveting face-off between undefeated teams, Brown Men's Rugby notched a significant victory over the American International College (AIC) on October 13, 2024. The regular-season Liberty Conference match, held at Ronald J. Abdow Field in Springfield, MA, ended with Brown clinching a 24-15 win, preserving their perfect season record.
The match kicked off under cool and cloudy conditions with light rain, setting a challenging atmosphere for both teams. By halftime, Brown held a narrow lead with a score of 10-8. Key players for Brown included Henrique Gabriel and Tito Edjua, both of whom scored tries, with Raphael Lansonneur contributing significantly by successfully scoring one conversion and three penalty goals. His flawless execution of penalty kicks proved critical, scoring 9 crucial points for the team.
One of the game's pivotal moments came early in the second half when Tito Edjua executed a remarkable kick return counterattack, significantly bolstering Brown's lead. Despite being down two players due to yellow cards late in the match, Brown's defence stood firm, preventing AIC from closing the gap. Coach LaFlamme praised the team's resilience and performance, stating, "Was happy to pick up a road win and impressed with the tenacity the boys showed. We'll analyze the performance to fix the areas we were poor in heading into Fairfield and Dartmouth. [But] really everyone stepped up when they needed to."
Looking forward, Brown is set to face Fairfield University Stags on October 19, 2024, at Grauert Field. With a strengthened record of 5-0 following their win against AIC, Brown Men's Rugby heads into their next matches with robust momentum and a vigilant focus on maintaining their winning streak.
