The Penn State men's rugby team will play in the USA Rugby Division I collegiate tournament, but it will do so as the No. 2 seed from the Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union (MARFU).

The Ruggers lost to Navy yesterday in the championship match of the MARFU tournament, 35-28, in what head coach Don Ferrell called "a great final game."

In the second overtime, Navy attempted a penalty kick that bounced off the post and back onto the field to one of its players. The loose ball was picked up and carried across for the game-winning try just as time expired.

"If that ball bounced the other way, we're still playing," Ferrell said. "But it just took a lucky bounce."

Navy continued the pattern of physical play to which Penn State has become accustomed. Several players went down in Saturday's semifinal against Delaware, and Navy's domineering style of play translated to the loss of some of Penn State's key players. In addition to the players left behind due to injury, the Ruggers lost captain Auggie Manelick early in yesterday's match.

"It was flat-out brutal at times," Ferrell said.

The first half and early stages of the second belonged to Navy. Penn State was down by 20 at one point in the second half. It was then that the Ruggers' depth began to show.

"We showed a lot of heart coming back," captain Nic Grala said. "Our substitutes were able to help us a lot with fresh legs."

The Ruggers battled back and took the lead late in the second half. Strong forward play that presented itself during the MARFU tournament led the way.

"The team as a whole played tremendously," Ferrell said. "It took superhuman efforts to take that lead back."

Navy sent the game into overtime just before the end of regulation. Both teams had opportunities to score in the extra time, but neither was able to convert. Then, at the end of the second overtime, Navy got the chance at a penalty kick on a questionable call. The foul committed resembled the type of play that plagued the Ruggers.

"It was a stupid penalty," Grala said. "We had been making stupid mistakes like that here and there all day."

It seemed as though Navy's final attempt before the end of the second overtime would share the result of the earlier ones, but it was scooped up and set across the goal line for the deciding points.

Despite the outcome, Ferrell was proud of the efforts of the team. The squad's reluctance to give in stood out in particular.

"We showed a lot of character in this game," Ferrell said. "To show that we're as fit as a military academy team that trains every day means a lot. The whole team showed a lot of heart."

The Ruggers come out of the MARFU tournament as the runners-up, but they will still have an opportunity to contend for the national championship.

Securing a berth in the national tournament was the team's goal from the start, a goal which Penn State accomplished with its 17-10 victory over Delaware on Saturday. In spite of the loss, Ferrell's outlook for the remainder of the season has not changed.

"We're still looking good heading into the Sweet 16s," Ferrell said. "That's what we came here to do, to get into the nationals, and we did that."