A strong second half performance by the Yellow Jackets proved to be too strong for University of Delaware in the first round of the D1AA National championship in late April. American International College were deserved winners with a 55-35 over a well organized Delaware team.

The game didn’t start off well when Delaware scored back-to-back tries in the first half to make the game 0-14. However it didn’t take long for the Yellow Jackets to get in there rhythm and slowly start to string a couple of attacking moves that caused University of Delaware problems. AIC offense was free flowing and it showed when seniors Gavan D’Amore-Morrison and Jamal Hadley scored important tries that helped the team build some confidence after being fourteen points down. Jihad Khabir and Lui Sitama were both successful with their penalty kicks that allowed the scores to be all tied up 14-14.

Towards the end of the first half sophomore Matthew Jones scored from ten years out which allowed the Yellow Jackets to go into the break with a 19-14 lead.

University of Delaware came out strong in the second half looking to regain the lead, and with there hard work during the breakdowns allowed them to score as well as making the conversion to regain the lead 21-19 just over four minutes in.

That didn’t seem to affect the Yellow Jackets as they still looked dangerous with the ball in hand and it proved it when junior Christian Adams came off an intelligent switch with center Jacob Ponder which allowed Adams to break the line and score.

AIC continued to put pressure on University Delaware, which allowed Jihad Khabir to break through the line and run the length of the field to score a great individual try. This allowed the scores to be 41-21.

Shortly after the try, Christian Adams scored the try of the game as he broke multiple tackles with ease and touch the ball down in front of the posts. Sitama added the conversion for the 48-21 lead with 12 minutes to left in the second half.

Junior Adrian Ray added a late try and after another Sitama conversion the score was 55-21 in favor of the Yellow Jackets before a turnover on the ensuing kick led to a Delaware try and kick and another late try and kick resulted in the 55-35 final

The Yellow Jackets will progress into the quarter finals of the national tournament were they will play James Madison University on Saturday afternoon. American International College has never won a National tournament; hopefully the men’s rugby team can create history and be the first to win a National event.