EASTON, Mass. – The Roger Williams University Men's Rugby team opened their season on Saturday evening, dominating start to finish over Stonehill, in a 54-10 victory.

Jake Carney (West Hartford, Conn.) tallied 22 points, with Ben Fahy (Taunton, Mass.) and Timmy Carlson (Hanover, Mass.) each adding 10 points each.

RWU wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, with Billy Roche (Rumford, R.I. crossing the try line in the sixth minute. Just minutes later, Carney added a try of his own and converted to give the Hawks a commanding early lead. Stonehill briefly responded with a try at the 16-minute mark, but RWU quickly answered through Carlson, who dotted down twice in the first half. Carney added conversions to both. 

By halftime, the Hawks were firmly in control, leading 33-5. Stonehill managed one more try early in the second half, but RWU's relentless pressure continued to yield results. Fahy showcased his finishing ability with two second-half tries, while Dylan Palombo (Riverside, R.I.) added another to cap off a dominant offensive performance. 

The Hawks' defensive line held strong throughout the contest, stifling Stonehill's attack and turning turnovers into quick-strike opportunities. While the offensive performance was impressive, the Hawks' defensive effort was equally outstanding, led by strong showings from Simon Palombo (Riverside, R.I.), Lucas Sanborn-Burch (Tariffville, Conn.), and Zavier Hernandez (Norwalk, Conn.), who shut down Stonehill's attack and set the tone physically throughout the match.

Roger Williams (1-0) will host Salve Regina on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 11:00 am.