Lindenwood University head coach Billy Nicholas shuffled the roster for the Lions’ final match of the regular season, and the team produced a 77-5 win against BYU in Provo, Utah. The travel squad included nine freshmen and sophomores – the latter of which still feel new given the lack of game time during the abbreviated spring 2020 season – and they lend insight into the look of the team’s next iteration.
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Only three players, all seniors, returned to their regularly starting positions against BYU: hooker Destiny Arena, flanker and game captain Alia Ah Far, and flyhalf Richelle Stephens. Everyone else either moved from the varsity reserves to the starting line, or up from J.V. Manaia Moala was the only freshman to start in the pack, while sophomore Lali Lafitaga stepped into loosehead prop. The backs fielded three freshmen in inside center Puni Skipps, wing Siniva Mailo and fullback Salote Iongi, and sophomore Taina Tukuafu slid in from the wing to outside center. The reserves included freshmen Jayla Hampton and Eti Haungatau, and sophomore Kapoina Bailey. Skipps (2), Iongi and Hampton all scored tries against BYU.
“We wanted to change it up a bit to see how people would take advantage of increased minutes and we were really happy with how everyone stepped up and contributed,” Nicholas praised his players. “BYU is a quality team, so for us to come away with a big win was a great accomplishment for our program.”
Freshman Ahnea Aupiu didn’t make the trip to Utah but has earned special praise from senior teammates and Nicholas, who also called out fellow South Bay Spartans (Calif.) alumna Skipps and Haungatau for their immediate on-field contributions to the varsity team.
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“Manaia Moala in the back row,” Nicholas elaborated on freshmen to watch. “And next year, [we’re] looking at Salote Iongi and Ari Moleni to step in and fill some big shoes from a long line of really good halfbacks we have had here. Liana Holani has some good potential as a front rower, as does Jayla Hampton. I expect many of our freshmen to really take this first year as a learning experience and work hard over the summer with a plan in front of them, knowing the expectation and standards they’ll come back to in the fall. There is always a massive jump for us freshman to sophomore year.”
Even though the 2020-21 season is again abbreviated, no one is looking past it. There are still games to win and goals to achieve, and BYU provided good intel on where to focus energies.
“It was great to play a different opponent again, and our team really relishes in that opportunity as each team we have played this year has provided a different challenge for us to adapt to throughout the match,” Nicholas explained. “BYU challenged us around the breakdown, and we knew they would be a strong kicking game as well. It’s another chance for us to examine post-match and provide some areas to focus on this upcoming week at training and going into semi-finals.
“We will continue to increase our consistency in our defensive line speed and general work rate around the pitch,” the coach continued. “We are getting there. We have had some tactical moments of brilliance and great continuity in team tries. We just need to increase our patience in attack in general, start thinking a phase or two ahead, and play to our game plan for that specific day.”
Lindenwood is the top seed heading into the DI Elite playoffs, which haven’t been entirely confirmed, yet. Penn State is the unknown, and the competition is waiting to see whether the Nittany Lions will make a bid for the semifinal play-in match on April 10. If not, then Lindenwood will play BYU on April 17, and Life will travel to Central Washington during the semifinal round. The national championship is May 1.