9/20 Loss to Providence

This was the "game that got away" for a Portland team looking for its first victory of the season. From the outset, Portland and Providence were fairly evenly matched overall, with an advantage to Portland's strong pack in the sets. Portland got on the board 10 minutes into the match with a penalty try after a lineout and drive to the try line. A few minutes later, our own Marc "Frenchy" Fournier scored off another driving maul, and Portland was looking to pull away from a seemingly tired Providence pack. A Providence try off broken play, however, was followed by a penalty kick which brought the teams close at half.

The second half was a reversal of fortune for both clubs. Portland's offense got untracked and made little headway against an increasingly strong defense, and two quick trys off the wing for Providence effectively put the game away. Portland responded with another brilliant try from a tough, 8 or 9 phase pick-and-run segment, with Tom Lovering scoring a 20 meter try off another maul, but time ran out for Portland.
Final score: 23-18 Providence