PHILADELPHIA WHITEMARSH DEFEATED BY ATLANTA LIFE
IN HARP USA RUGBY SUPER LEAGUE OPENERPhiladelphia - Life University struggled at times but were still able to defeat Philadelphia-Whitemarsh 32-3 at the windy A.A. Garthwaite Stadium in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania in action from the Harp USA Rugby Super League. Philadelphia-Whitemarsh were making their first appearance ever in the Super League and although they played some brilliant rugby at times, were not strong enough to hold out the Life challenge.
Life defeated the Chicago Lions in the league opener last week, making this their second win in as many attempts and they have their sights set on the championship this year after finishing at 4-2 and tying for second place last season along with Washington and the Dallas Harlequins in the Eastern Conference.
In the first half of Saturday’s match, wing Chris Muldoon put Life on the board with two penalty kicks giving Life the 6-0 lead. Life second rower Kevin Hagood scored the first try of the match, converted by Muldoon, to increase the advantage to 13-0. Philadelphia-Whitemarsh responded with a penalty kick to narrow the margin to 13-3 at the half. With the wind at their backs in the second half, Life’s backrow tandem of Scott Littlejohn and Jon Holtzman combined for three tries with Muldoon converting on two of them. Holtzman’s try in the game’s waning moments earned Life a bonus point for scoring four tries in the match. Life’s nine points puts them in a first place tie with Washington in the Eastern Conference.