Loyola Rugby of Loyola Marymount University

Alumni Game Returns !



After a two year absence the “Old Lions” will return to Sullivan Field on Saturday, April 23rd, for their traditional match against the current Lion squad. Kickoff will be at 1:00PM



All players, spectators, friends, family, and guests wishing to attend or participate in the game will need to have an LMU Campus Access Pass for the event. To initiate the request for an access pass you will need to send an email - with your full name - to [email protected] .



Requests for the match must be made no later than 6:00PM (Pacific) Wednesday, April 20th.



Every individual attending the game must have their own pass and make the request with their own email account, (i.e. multiple requests from a single email address will not be accepted.) LMU will then respond to requestors with the necessary steps and protocol to receive the access pass.



If you are already in possession of a valid LMU Campus Access Pass, you do not need to make another request.



Go Lions ! Go Old Lions !

LIons' second half rally tops Tigers.

Loyola Rugby 36
Occidental 24

LMU senior Max Mulquin was awarded Doherty Cup honors.

Go Lions !

"Saturday Night Lights"

The Lions and Tigers will kick off their long standing rivalry this coming Saturday evening, April 2nd, at 7:00 PM on Occidental College's historic Patterson Field.

Prior to COVID, the Loyola / Oxy match was the longest consecutively played collegiate rugby match on the west coast, a series that started in 1965. The game is celebrated with the awarding of the Doherty Cup to the man of the match whose play most embodies the competitive spirit of the late Darren Doherty, LMU '02. The cup is sponsored by Wedgwood Enterprises, Darren's employer at the time of his passing.

Oxy campus COVID requirements: Masks are encouraged but not required for fully vaccinated spectators over the age of 5. All unvaccinated spectators over the age of 5 must wear a mask at all times. If anyone needs to use the restroom while on campus, a mask must be worn immediately upon entering the building.

Go Lions !

Mustangs gallop by Lions

Norco 74
Lions 17

Match report to follow.
Go Lions !

10AM Kickoff !!!

The Lions will be making an early drive east down CA 91 this coming Saturday for a 10AM kickoff with the Mustangs of Norco College. The college is located at 2001 Third Street, Norco, CA. The playing field is at the end of Third Street as after you pass by the main campus on your right.

Go Lions !

Lions/Trojans Match Report



Or maybe this post should be titled “The Lions/Angelo Reviglio Match Report.” The Trojans’ outside center put on one of the most remarkable performances ever seen on Sullivan Field, scoring a total of 35 points against the Lions on seven touchdowns. Reviglio would score six of his trys in the first half as the Trojans would cruise to a 46 point lead at the break. The Reno native was also instrumental in several other of the Cardinal & Gold’s first half touchdowns, passing off to his teammates fullback Ehioze Osifo and winger Joe Ragsdale on their respective line breaks.

Coming out of halftime, the Lions would make a number of tactical subs which seemed to stabilize their defensive play. Led by seniors Eric Scharberg, Mille Mesfin, and Max Malquin the Lions would manage to push the run of play inside of the Trojans’ 22 meter line, and even inside the 5 meter line, for multiple and extended periods of time. However the visitors proved to be just as capable on defense as they were on offense and certainly earned their shutout.





Notes from the Sideline

Once again the Lions were captained by Max Mulquin.

Ismaeil Soliman and Hugo Hunt recorded their first “A” side starts for the Lions.

The Friday afternoon game was well attended and very positively supported by the LMU student body throughout the match.

Also in attendance were several (relatively) recent Loyola Rugby alumni, with a notable number from the Lions’ 2016 Gold Coast divisional championship team

The Lions continue Gold Coast Conference play next Saturday, traveling to Norco College in Riverside County.

Go Lions !

Trojans run over Lions

Lions 0
USC 51

Go LIons !

Coming to next Friday's home game against USC ?
If so you will need to have an LMU Campus Access Pass. To initiate the request for an access pass you will need to send an email - with your full name - to [email protected] .
Requests for the USC game must be made no later than 6:00PM (Pacific) Tuesday, March 8th.
Every individual attending the game must have their own pass and make the request with their own email account, (i.e. multiple requests from a single email address will not be accepted.) LMU will then respond to requestors with the necessary steps and protocol to receive the access pass.
If you are already in possession of a valid LMU Campus Access Pass, you do not need to make another request.

Go Lions !

Oxy Game Re-rescheduled

By mutual agreement the Lions and Tigers have rescheduled their match to Saturday, April 2nd. Kickoff will be at 1:00PM at Oxy's Patterson Field.

Go Lions !

Schedule change for this week's match at Occidental College

The Lions' game this week has been pulled forward one day, to Friday, February 25th. Kickoff will be at 8:00PM on Oxy's Patterson Field. The match has been moved to accommodate the start of LMU's spring break which begins on the 26th.

Prior to COVID, the Loyola / Oxy match was the longest consecutively played collegiate rugby match on the west coast, a series that started in 1965. The game is celebrated with the awarding of the Doherty Cup to the man of the match whose play most embodies the competitive spirit of the late Darren Doherty, LMU '02. The cup is sponsored by Wedgwood Enterprises, Darren's employer at the time of his passing.

Go Lions !

Santa Barbara City College / Westmont 45

Lions 20

Match report to follow.

Go Lions.

Lions grind out home field win over Cal Lutheran

Behind four second half trys, the Lions put away a very determined and athletic Cal Lutheran side, in a match that saw both teams finishing the game with only 14 players on the field. The Knights were down a man from injury and lack of bench depth; the Lions short one due to a red card.

Just ten minutes after the opening kickoff the Lions were forced to go to their bench when their flyhalf Gus Gant suffered a shoulder injury. Po Han Su would come on for Gant and very capably led the Lions’ attack for the balance of the match. Cal Lu would score the first points of the day at the 27 minute mark when flanker Justice Forbes touched down; his team captain, Jackson Petty, making the conversion. The Lions would level the score a few minutes later with a try under the posts by hooker Jesus Arzapalo on a weaving run some 40 meters through the Cal Lu defense. The conversion was by Ari Mathani. In the closing minute of the half, flanker Nick Miller would touchdown to give the home side a 12 - 7 halftime lead.

Ari Mathani would score the Lions’ first points of the second half with an unconverted try to give his team a ten point lead. However a touchdown by Conner Matzke and conversion by Petty would close that margin to three. As the match moved into it’s final 20 minutes of play the Lions fitness would produce another two converted trys. The first by Xavier Dickinson, on as a tactical sub at inside center, the second by scrumhalf Max Mulquin which would give the Lions a seemingly very comfortable 31 - 14 advantage with time running down. Cal Lu, not willing to concede the game by any measure, scored its last points on a touchdown by flanker Randel Voutt. Almost immediately thereafter, Loyola winger Brendan Smith, also on as a tactical sub, would touchdown near the corner flag following an Lion attack down the west sideline. Final score 36 – 19.

Notes from the Sideline:
Max Mulquin again was the Lions’ team captain.
Ari Mahtani was the teams leading scorer with 11 points.
Arzapalo’s, Miller’s, and Smith’s trys were all their first in a Lions “A” side match.
The Lions first home match in 22 months was well supported by a boisterous student section and several parents visiting from out of the area. Also on hand were a number of rugby alumni including three former team captains.

Tomorrow the team travels to Westmont College, the match to be played on the Warriors’ Lovik Field.

Kickoff is at 1:00 PM. Loyola Rugby has been told there are no COVID related restrictions or requirements for persons wishing to attend the game.

Go Lions !

Lions 36
Cal Lutheran 19

Match report to follow.

Go Lions !

Lions’ second half surge overcomes Titans

In a game that would be clearly a tale of two halves, the Lions needed a converted try just ahead of the referee’s whistle to eke out a 29 – 26 halftime lead over a very spirited Fullerton team. The second half however was an entirely different matter as the Lions would score 35 unanswered points to put the match away.

The game opened with the Lions taking the kickoff and very methodically working their way up the field, only to see Fullerton record the first points of the match off a turnover and an opportunistic break by their #10, Michael Blatteis. Blatteis would also kick the conversion to give the home side an early 7- nil lead. The Westchester side would come back right away and within minutes scrumhalf Max Mulquin would touchdown for the Crimson & Grey, with Ari Mahtani making the kick. In short order Mulquin would score his second try, breaking weakside off a scrum down, with Mahtani again doing the honors on the conversion. Mahtani would then add a try of his own in the corner of the endzone and with the score at 19 – 7 it looked like the Lions were about to take over the match.

However the Fullerton team, behind the elusive running of Mr. Blatties would rally for another three touchdowns, two of them converted, their scoring spree all but unanswered by the Lions except for a penalty kick by Mahtani. Down 22 – 26, it would be Mahtani making a break through the Titan line from his winger position to touchdown under the posts, giving the Lions their halftime margin.

The second half would see the Lions doing a much better job of maintaining possession of the ball, and pushing the run of play into Fullerton’s half of the field. Mulquin would get his hat trick touchdown at the 47th minute to get things started for the Lions. Xavier Dickinson, coming on as a tactical sub at inside center, would then record a pair of touchdowns on line breaks, with Mulquin scoring his fourth try in between those. The Lions would finish the day’s scoring with standoff Gus Gant touching down under the posts following a weaving run through the Fullerton defense from 25 meters out. Mahtani would convert all five of his second half kicks.

Notes from the Sideline:
---Max Mulquin, ’22, was the team captain. The scrumhalf’s four trys was the most by a Lion since Will DiBiagio’s three touchdowns against USD in February of 2019.
---Ari Mahtani, ’23, would record 29 points on the day with two touchdowns (10), 8 of 9 on conversions (16), and one penalty kick (3).
---As might be expected after such a long layoff there was an unusually large number of players making their debut “A” side starts: Ryan Cordero, ’25, at hooker; Jac Pelletier, ’24, at lock; Mac Lastinger, ’25, at lock; Joey Brunner, ’23, at inside center; and Connie Widjojo, ’25, at fullback.
---Players making their first “A” side appearance included: Xavier Dickinson, ’22; Brendan Smith, ’23; Ethan Harrigan, ’25; Christof Moore, ’25; Steph Silva, ’25; and Siso Khumalo, ’25.

Go Lions!!

Coming to next Saturday's home game ?

If so you will need to have an LMU Campus Access Pass. To initiate the request for an access pass you will need to send an email - with your full name - to [email protected] .

Requests for the Cal Lutheran game must be made no later than 5:00PM (Pacific) Tuesday, February 8th.

Every individual attending the game must have their own pass and make the request with their own email account, (i.e. multiple requests from a single email address will not be accepted.) LMU will then respond to requestors with the necessary steps and protocol to receive the access pass.

If you are already in possession of a valid LMU Campus Access Pass, you do not need to make another request.

Go Lions !

CSU Fullerton 26
Lions 64

Match report to follow.

Go Lions !

COVID Change #1

As CSU Fullerton campus will remain closed to the general public until Feb 7th, this coming Saturday’s match between the Lions and the Titans has been moved. The game will be played at Hydraflow Field, located at 1881 W Malvern Ave, Fullerton, CA 92833. From the street the field is located directly behind the Hydraflow facility, and is adjacent to the Target store.

Kickoff has also been moved, to 3:00PM

Both the Lions and the Titans wish to thank the Fullerton Rugby Club for the use of their pitch.

Go Lions !

Spring 2022 Schedule

At last ! The Lions are pleased to announce their 2022 spring semester playing schedule:
Feb 5th At CSU Fullerton
Feb 12th California Lutheran University
Feb 19th At Westmont College
Feb 26th At Occidental College
Mar 5th Bye (LMU Spring Break)
Mar 12th University of Southern California
Mar 19th At Norco College
Mar 26th Bye
Apr 2nd UC Riverside
Apr 9th Gold Coast Conference Playoffs

Matches that are still TBD: Alumni Game, UCLA “B”

All matches are tentatively scheduled for a 1PM kickoff. Please note that in addition to the usual reshuffling of the schedule due to rainouts, we also expect there may be changes related to COVID outbreaks and or restrictions.

Friends, family, and alumni wishing to attend the Lions’ matches need to be aware that all universities and colleges, including LMU, have different and often evolving requirements for their off-campus guests. Loyola Rugby will endeavor to have the individual campus’ specific visitation requirements posted to this site prior to the given match.

Go Lions !!

Lions travel tomorrow to Chula Vista

With many of their traditional collegiate opponents still not yet available for matches due to COVID restrictions or other organizational issues, this Saturday (Nov 13) the Lions will travel to the United States Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista for a game with an academy team supported by the San Diego Legion. The San Diego Legion is one of the founding members of Major League Rugby, the professional rugby league of North America.

The match will kick off at 2:00PM on the South Field of the OTC.

Go Lions !!!