USC 15 Kentucky 29

South Carolina tested defending D1AA national champion Kentucky Saturday and led midway through the second half. But it wasn’t enough as the Gamecocks fell to the Wildcats 29-15 in the SCRC semi-finals.

Kentucky, the host team, took advantage of a misplayed kick in the contest’s opening moments to score a try and successful conversion to go up 7-0.

After a converted penalty kick by Gamecock scrumhalf Max Hendry, the Wildcats found some space on the perimeter and scored a try and successful conversion to go ahead 14-3. The Gamecocks answered a few minutes later when 8-man Peter Blackburn picked up the ball off a Gamecock scrum and passed weakside to Hendry who slipped past defenders to score. Hendry, a Scotland native and transfer from Marian, slotted the conversion to make the score 10-14 at the break.

Ten minutes into the second half, Backburn pushed in a try. The conversion failed but the Gamecocks led 15-14. A few minutes later, the Wildcats answered with a try and conversion of their own to go up 21-15. Kentucky later scored an unconverted try and penalty kick.

For their part, the Gamecocks advanced deep into Wildcat territory several times in the second half but were undone by penalties and a stubborn Kentucky defense.

“We did a great job of kicking to space today and played with great intensity,” said Coach John Roberts. “While I am proud of our effort, defeating a top team like Kentucky requires our best game for 80-minutes. We fell short on that today but are improving each time we take the pitch.”

In the other SCRC semifinal, Clemson defeated LSU 49-14.

The Gamecocks travel to the Hendersonville Rugby Complex (1788 Avant Lane in Hendersonville, TN) Saturday to face LSU while Kentucky will play Clemson in the SCRC finals at the same location.

With a win over LSU, the Gamecocks will advance to play at NC State, the Southern Conference winner, on November 16 in the first round of the NCR national championship tournament.