SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Warriors fell in their final home match of 2022, being undone in the second half by penalties in a 39-32.
The Warriors (4-11, 26 points) hosted the Western Conference leading LA Giltinis (11-4, 49 points) at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, UT on Saturday, May 28.
Charlie Abel put LA on the board first in the seventh minute with a try after Utah squandered a chance at the goal line in the opening minutes. After adding the conversion, LA held a 7-0 lead.
Utah scored their first try of the day when Paul Lasike drove through the LA defense and across the line. Calvin Whiting missed the conversion to leave Utah in a 7-5 hole.
Big fan of this Paul Lasike guy
— Utah Warriors Rugby (@utwarriorsrugby) May 28, 2022
A Warriors penalty just before the first half hydration break gave LA a goal kick that they converted into a 10-5 lead.
24 minutes into the half Chad Gough, just days after after announcing he will retire following the season, scored a try for Utah. The Calvin Whiting conversion gave the Warriors their first lead of the game 12-10.
Chad Gough dots it down in his final home game 🥲
UT: 12 | LA: 10#ForTheNation pic.twitter.com/VwNYFr5emD
— Utah Warriors Rugby (@utwarriorsrugby) May 28, 2022
A second Utah penalty allowed the Giltinis a goal to take a 13-12 lead.
Less than two minutes before the halftime break, LA found open running room on their way to their second try of the match. After adding the conversion the Warriors trailed 20-12.
Work to do in the second half 🔜
UT: 12 | LA: 20#ForTheNation pic.twitter.com/qUVU1VA3Qb
— Utah Warriors Rugby (@utwarriorsrugby) May 28, 2022
Utah opened the second half playing a man down after a late first half yellow card.
The Warriors didn’t let the disadvantage slow them down as Jurie Van Vuuren scored his first try of the season to close the gap to 20-17. Whiting missed his second conversion of the day, leaving Utah down three points.
LA responded less than five minutes later, taking advantage of the Warriors playing a man down. A try and the conversion put the Giltinis in front 27-17.
The Giltinis started to pull away thanks in part to a number of Warrior penalties that left Utah playing with 13 men for more than 20 minutes because of a pair of yellow cards.
An LA try and failed conversion just before the hydration break opened the largest lead of the match with the Giltinis in front 32-17
Utah closed the deficit to 12 with a goal from Whiting in the 61st minute that made it 32-20.
— Utah Warriors Rugby (@utwarriorsrugby) May 28, 2022
Still playing a man down, Utah showed their no quit mentality when ‘Olive Kilifi scored the try. Whiting added the conversion to make it a one try game, 32-27.
LA continued the high scoring second half, answering Utah’s try with one of their own in the 68th minute. The conversion gave the Giltinis a 39-27 lead.
Another game, another Joe Mano try ❤️
UT: 32 | LA: 39#ForTheNation pic.twitter.com/8oCklEAU3Z
— Utah Warriors Rugby (@utwarriorsrugby) May 28, 2022
With less than two minutes remaining, Joe Mano scored a try to make it 39-32 and giving Utah one final chance to tie the game. The comeback wasn’t meant to be though as LA forced the Warriors into a turnover just outside the 22-yard line that clinched the win for LA.
The Warriors wrap up the 2022 season on Saturday, June 4 as they travel to Texas where they will face the Dallas Jackals at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington. The penultimate match of the season is schedule to start at 6 p.m. (MST).