Ritchie Smith, a sophomore from Hendersonville, Tenn., reflects over the Western men’s rugby team’s victory over the University of Southern Indiana on Saturday.

It wasn’t a difficult win for the team. They dominated long spells of the game and were stingy on give away possession. During the second quarter, one player completes his hat trick. Another player picked up the ball and ran to the opposite end of the field to convert his free kick.

Off the field, things haven’t been all rosy for the team in red. The team is short on funding. Almost all of the money the team receives from Western and the Student Government Association goes to paying dues to the Midwest Rugby Union. From their own pockets, the players dig deep to pay for their jerseys, expenses for away games and tournament entry fees. They are also liable for the injuries they pick up in games.

Nashville senior Joel Dahlhauser, a team member, puts their struggle in a nutshell.

“We just like to be able to compete with the other schools on their level. With the funding we get, it’s hard to do that … ,” Dahlhauser said.

For now, Smith is not going to let all these issues distract him. He is going to savor the sweet taste of their 36-0 win.

Wiqan Ang is a senior photojournalism major from Singapore. He can be reached at [email protected].