VICTORIA - The University of Victoria men's rugby team beat Trinity Western University, 32-17, for the second time in three weeks to get back to even in the win-loss column with a 2-2 record, Sept. 30 at Wallace Field.
 
The Vikes started off with the same physical style that worked so well two weeks ago and methodically worked down the field to put winger Lockhart MacGregor in for a corner try in the eighth minute; the score stood at 5-0 after an unsuccessful conversion.
 
The Vikes kept up the pressure, and in the 19th minute it was lock Muiredach Casey who picked the ball from a metre out and dove in for the try, with an Alex Gamage conversion pushing the score to 12-0.
 
8-man Ryder Heaney-Corns showcased his physical running in the 29th minute to score the try in the middle of the field, pushing the Vikes' lead to 19-0 after Gamage converted. 
 
TWU didn't give up, taking advantage of a breakdown penalty at the Vikes' five metre line to quickly play the ball wide and dot it down in the corner. The conversion was wide right, leaving the score at 19-5.
 
After playing most of the first half on the front foot, the Vikes were stuck inside their own territory for much of the second. They did break into the Spartan 22 in the 63rd minute and capitalized off the TWU breakdown penalty for a Gamage conversion to make it a three-score game at 22-5.
 
In the 66th minute, the Vikes used a series of off-loads and strong runs to push deep into Spartan territory. After several hard carries by the pack, scrum-half Chris Gamage took the ball for a run and then off-loaded to flanker Tucker Nadeau, who drove through two TWU defenders for the try, his first of the season and a score of 27-5 after the conversion was no good.
 
Despite the score, the Spartans weren't done and took advantage of a contested ruck to make a run from the Vikes 22 to make the score 27-12 with the conversion.
 
The Vikes maul has been a potent weapon throughout the season and they were able to gain metres multiple times against TWU. In the 73rd minute, the Vikes again utilized the maul to drive the Spartans from 10 meters out all the way to the try line for hooker Jordy Auger's second try of the season. After an unsuccessful convert the score stood at 32-12.
 
The Spartans struck back with a try in the 75th minute, but they were unable to keep the ball and the game ended with a final score of 32-17 in favour of the Vikes.
 
The Vikes return to action Oct. 14, taking on the University of British Columbia at Wallace Field in the first of two legs for the Wightman Boot, the prize in the annual rivalry series between the two programs.