Two of college rugby's fiercest rivals renewed acquaintances this weekend. And this time, pride wasn't the only thing on the line.

Less than two minutes remained in yesterday's Mid Atlantic Rugby Football Union (MARFU) championship match, and the Penn State men's rugby found itself trailing the Naval Academy.

With the ball and their backs against the wall, the Ruggers quickly drove into scoring position.

Senior flyhalf Justin Hundley converted one of the biggest kicks of his life to reclaim the lead for Penn State, and secure the 18-17 victory and MARFU title for the second consecutive year.

The Ruggers needed to withstand a late push by Navy in order to pull off the win.

The Midshipmen moved deep into Penn State territory and appeared as though they were going to score and steal the victory.

Fortunately, the trademark Penn State defense showed its teeth, forced a turnover and ultimately ran out the clock for a dramatic victory.

"It was a barn-burner right until the very end, and we managed to come out on top," head coach Don Ferrell said. "That was the hardest defensive game that I have ever seen us play, and you could tell that we were really up to the challenge."

Penn State's third MARFU title in four years not only gives the squad a No. 3 seed in the upcoming national tournament, but it also assures that the site of its first and second matches will be in New York rather than California.

"[Our seeding] is critical on so many levels," Ferrell said. "From a monetary standpoint, a trip to the West Coast is expensive.

"From a competitive standpoint, there is a better chance for us to make the Final Four."

On April 21, 16 teams will begin the 2006 national tournament in West Point, N.Y., and Berkley, Calif.

In Penn State's 15 tournament appearances, it has advanced to the national championship match on four occasions but has yet to claim the title.