CHICAGO, IL – The #8 ranked Principia Thunder Chickens traveled up to Chicago for a showdown with #9 Wheeling University Cardinals in the first ever Big Rivers Conference Championship match. After falling behind early, Principia came back to take the lead before giving up a try in the final five minutes as the Cardinals took the title, 22-17.
The first half was a low-scoring affair as Principia could not get much going offensively. The Thunder Chickens got on the board first with a penalty conversion in the first ten minutes, but Wheeling used their attacking speed to score two tries and take a 10-3 lead into halftime.
Principia knew they needed to turn the tide if they wanted any chance of staying in the match after Wheeling scored again just two minutes into the second half, extending their lead to 15-3. The Thunder Chickens finally scored their first try five minutes later as
Charles Luhanga carried the ball off a line out behind Principia's powerful maul into the try zone.
Damir Conci then made the conversion to cut the Wheeling lead to 15-10. Ten minutes later,
Dean Crouse scored the Thunder Chickens' second try thanks to some powerful runs by him and
Alfredo Boly. Conci made another clutch conversion from the left side to give Prin a 17-15 lead.
The Thunder Chickens looked to lock down defensively from there as they worked hard to hold the lead for the final 23 minutes. Unfortunately, with just four minutes remaining, Wheeling broke through the Principia line around midfield and outran the defenders into the try zone for the championship-winning score.
The loss does not end Principia's season, however, because the second place finisher in the Big Rivers Tournament qualifies for the Nationals Play-in Round this coming weekend. The Thunder Chickens will head right back to the same field at the Lions for Hope Sports Complex on Friday night to take on #10 Iona University at 7:00 pm CT. The match will be streamed on the same Veo Live app as the Wheeling game, and the winner will advance to face #4 Indiana University in the Division I Quarterfinals.
