HOUSTON — Second-ranked Bowling Green lost 57-12 to top-ranked Kentucky in the championship game of the National Collegiate Rugby Division I-AA tournament on Saturday.

Playing at the home of Major League Rugby’s Houston SaberCats, Bowling Green kept Kentucky off the scoreboard for the game’s first 10 minutes before Kentucky scored the first of nine straight tries.

Kentucky led 31-0 at halftime. Bowling Green scored both of its tries late, with Nico LaBianca touching down in the 75th minute and the Falcons adding one more try before time expired.

Holden Hahn, Jared Monnier, and Joe Keough each had two tries for Kentucky. The Wildcats’ Michael Punzalan was named final MVP.

Kentucky (12-0-2) won its second straight championship. Bowling Green (12-2) was looking for its second national title, with the first coming in 2018.

First Published December 15, 2024, 2:56 a.m.