The SEU club rugby team participated in their fifth game this season against LeTourneau University on Oct. 28. After 80 minutes of gameplay and a brief 10-minute halftime performance, SEU came out on top with a landslide victory of 99-0. 

The team was set to play on Saturday as a culmination of SEU’s Homecoming at 4 p.m. on the Lewis Chen Family Field. However, after worries about the weather, the match was moved to Huns Rugby Ranch, a venue 13 miles away from campus. 

Fortunately for players and viewers alike, the weather turned out to be perfect for the match, which proceeded without a hitch. Students, alums and family made the journey to the relocated game to celebrate the rugby team.

Recent SEU graduates from the class of 2023, Katy Van Zandt and Natalie Hughes, were among the alumni who came to watch the match.

“What really brought me here was seeing my friends, my former classmates and team,” Van Zandt said.

Those traveling from far away were not disappointed with the rugby team’s showing on Saturday. The game began and almost immediately rugby team captain Remigio “Remi” Vitores scored the team’s first try. The try, a move comparable to a touchdown in American football which results in five points being earned, was completed with remarkable speed. Vitores’ dedication and skill was shown throughout the match as he completed 12 out of the team’s 15 attempted conversions.

A conversion is a move that occurs after a try where the team can earn two additional points if a ball is hit through the field goal. The mechanics and rules of rugby can be confusing for a beginner, but the grit and energy of the sport enamored many viewers in the stands. 

This spirit just continued to grow as the team completed try after try and shut down LeTourneau’s attempts to score. However, the intensity did result in an injury for SEU junior Tomas Chu. 

After a halftime performance by the Topperettes dance team to a medley of Barbie-themed songs, the Hilltoppers continued completing successful tries and advantageous scrums. Scrums are a feature exclusive to rugby, which brings teams together to see who can move the ball towards their side. By the end of the match, SEU completed 15 tries and 12 conversions, bringing their score to 99.

Ultimately, Vitores believes that their success was tied to their connection to St. Edward’s.

“The commitment and passion is what drove us to perform, there were a lot of students and families counting on us,” Vitores said. 

The completion of this match brought the team’s record to 4-1-0 in the Tier 2 Texas Lone Star Conference, which can potentially bring them to the Tier 1 Texas Lone Star Conference playoffs in March.