AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University rugby team played their first contest as a varsity program on Saturday, welcoming the club team from the University of South Florida to the AMU Rugby Field. The Gyrenes dropped their opening match in a spirited effort, falling 50-12 to USF.

In their first outing as a varsity program, there was great effort and toughness on display, building upon the proud tradition of rugby at AMU, which started with a club program. However, AMU's efforts to earn a victory over the side from USF were thwarted by the Bulls' depth and experience.

Saturday's match was the first of six on the schedule for the Gyrenes, including four to be played on the AMU campus. The Gyrenes will return to the field this coming Saturday, with another club team coming to Ave Maria. AMU will host the team from the University of Miami, with action on the AMU campus set to begin at 1:00 p.m. 

The match is the first divisional match of the season for AMU, as both Ave Maria and Miami are members of Division II in the Florida Collegiate Conference. The teams will play twice this season, with a return trip to Coral Gables scheduled for next month.