In a game where there’s nothing but blood, sweat and tears, pulling out a win is never an easy task.

The Grand Valley State men’s rugby team did just that, however, clinching the Great Lakes Conference championship this weekend after stalling the Xavier offense. 

With the win, the Lakers clinched a spot in the Men’s Division II Rugby Playoffs. GVSU, the Great Lakes representative, will play the winner of Towson and Virginia Military Institute in the Mid-Atlantic Regional in Harrisonburg, Va.

With a 44-27 win over Xavier, GVSU ended its conference run with a 7-1 record. The Lakers’ endurance allowed them to wear down their opponent. Key players such as Ben Serra and Jared Preston helped cement the victory for the Lakers, making crucial plays when they were needed most.

“Ben took advantage of every second when he touched the ball,” said club vice president Patrick Hart. “He did absolutely phenomenal.”

Hart went out with an injury early in the game, but Preston, who has acted as captain for the team before, filled in and helped turn the game around.

The real strength of the team, however, lies in its resilience and versatility – raising their performance when it’s needed most. John Mullet, now in his 17th season as head coach, said the team shows no signs of negativity during games and that the men play objectively, grinding it out with teams to tire them out. Mullet also said player depth has been a huge part of the team’s success.

“We had players like Tyler McIntyre switch positions so that some of the new players could play their position,” Mullet said. “McIntyre plays against players 30 pounds above his position and it’s been a huge bonus for us this year.”

Versatile players like McIntyre demonstrate the depth of talent that makes up the Laker squad, but switching positions for the better of the team isn’t the only reason they do it.

“Tyler has some of the most heart I’ve ever seen in a kid,” Hart said. “He’ll play wherever so long as he gets to play.”

For the men’s club rugby team, their love for the sport solidifies their strength to adapt and play at their best. That bond allowed them to succeed this season and was something that the team didn’t always have.

“We came together as a club this year and the leadership has really stepped up,” Hart said.

As a smaller team however, defense has been hard for the Lakers. The match against Xavier was no exception. Xavier’s size may have given the Musketeers an advantage, but GVSU ground it out.

“In the game against Xavier, we were able to really stick together even when we were down for the first time all year,” McIntyre said. “When Xavier scored the first try of the game, no one yelled at each other. We just addressed the issue and stayed positive.

“This, combined with our high work rate and outstanding back play allowed us to take advantages we had with our speed and conditioning.”

The Lakers have shown that with passion, dedication and discipline, anything is possible. What was thought to be a building year for the club turned into something much more – a GLC championship. No matter what challenges they may face, the men of the Laker’s club rugby will rise to meet them.