To be the best, you have to beat the best. To beat the best, you have to play the best. And that is exactly what the Penn State men's rugby team has done.

A quick glance at the Ruggers' recent schedule reveals a list of who's who in collegiate rugby today. In four matches this spring, the squad has faced three teams ranked nationally in the top five. At the Red Rock Tournament in February, the Ruggers lost to No. 3 BYU and No. 5 Utah.

No. 2 Penn State (10-3, 5-0 MARFU) had to embrace the silver lining once again after losing to another ranked team. On March 4, the Ruggers fell to No. 4 Army (12-0), 31-28 in extended time.

Last year, both teams met in Happy Valley for one of the best matchups of the season. In a very physical, back-and-forth battle, Penn State captured a 20-15 victory when captain Tim Ryland scored in the final minutes.

This time, it was Army's turn to exact some revenge, although both teams took the chance to size up a possible Final Four opponent.

With Ryland on the sideline nursing a torn MCL, the Ruggers gave their best performance of the semester. Leading for much of the match, the squad looked as if it was going to walk onto Daly Field and pull the upset. But in the waning moments, Army broke through the Penn State defense for the game-winning score.

Despite the loss, head coach Don Ferrell was satisfied with his team's performance.

"We went out there and met all of our goals," he said. "I am pleased with the way things are progressing. Having some adversity has really toughened us up."

Ferrell can take comfort in the fact that, due to injuries, Penn State has yet to put its full first team on the pitch since returning to action in February. This has given some younger players an opportunity to step up and gain valuable playing experience. An improvement in overall team depth has the Ruggers in prime position for the playoffs.

In the coming weeks, Penn State will likely have another tune-up match before taking on Princeton in the first round of the Mid Atlantic Rugby Football Union playoffs. The Ruggers' performance in that tournament will determine their seeding for the national championship.

One key factor of the squad's success depends on Ryland's status. Luckily, Penn State's starting center is nearing the end of his rehabilitation and will be ready for postseason action.