By Nina Hutchins
Heading to Foley Stadium in Worcester, Mass. for the North Atlantic Conference finals on Nov. 9, Springfield College’s men’s rugby team arrived fresh off a break from game play, re-grouped and ready for an even matchup.
Just weeks earlier, the team had taken a 34-19 loss to the Endicott Gulls, the same competitor they were going to face in the championship game. This time, the team flipped the script, securing a 24-21 win to claim the conference title.
Led by captains Kyle McLoughlin and Deuce Barnaby, the Pride went 5-1 in the regular season, capturing wins over Roger Williams, Trinity and Bryant. The Division III conference crown marks their fifth in the program’s history, and their fourth in the last five years.
McLoughlin earned man of the match for his performance in the finals, while Nate Master added three conversions and a penalty goal.
In their previous match against the Gulls, Springfield dropped a 19-5 lead to ultimately fall, a second half that only motivated them to work harder in the weeks leading up to their rematch.
“Endicott is nationally ranked, they’re pretty solid…we kind of just got away from ourselves a little bit,” said McLouglin. “We became complacent. After that, we just went back to the basics with almost two weeks of practice leading up to it.”
Head coach Luke Salls is a former Springfield player himself, and brings a unique perspective to the team environment. Along with his leadership, the team has five additional coaches. It is an unusually large staff for a club team, but is a reflection of the commitment and work that gets put into the program each week, as well as the passion all members of the team have for Springfield’s rugby program.
Despite having a young roster with several players learning the sport for the first time, McLoughlin strives to lead by example and inclusion, guidance that he also needed during his early career.
“I know what they’re going through,” McLoughlin said. “It’s definitely a learning curve.”
Now, the Pride shift their focus to Nationals, beginning with the round of 16. As the 14 seed, Springfield will play two games in two days against Holy Cross and Nichols. If all goes well, they will be one of the four teams to travel to Houston, where the semifinals and the championship game will take place.
While they hope to carry the regular season momentum through to the top, the team also has their sights set on Nationals in the spring for sevens, where they have placed second twice in the past three years.
Regardless of any outcome, McLoughlin values the impact this rugby team has had on his time here on Alden Street.
“I started playing my freshman year, so I’ve been playing rugby for four years,” McLoughlin said. “Obviously, new guys every year, but it’s a big family in a sense. It means a lot to us and to me.”
(Photo courtesy of Springfield College men’s rugby/Instagram)