The Gators Rugby Football Club was in high spirits despite losing Oct. 17 to the SF Fog Rugby Football Club 75-56 in their first game of the semester on Treasure Island.

Even in losing, the SF State ruggers refused to be put off by one of their strongest showings against the Fog.

The Fog's A-side dominated the first half of the game with seven tries and four conversions to the Gators' two tries and two conversions. At half-time, the Fog led 43-14.

As the game progressed, more of the team's B-side joined the play. After a disappointing third quarter, with no tries from the Gators and five from the Fog, the ruggers fought back, gaining eight tries and one conversion during the last leg of the game. SF State also raked in 42 of their 56 points during this stanza.

"Each year, the Fog is much more experienced than us and each year we're getting much better," Captain Jeff Schmidt said. "The newbies really stepped up."

According to the 25-year-old, about two-thirds of this year's team are new to Gators Rugby.

Joseph Johnson is one of these new members, but is hardly new to the sport. Johnson has been playing rugby for the past 10 years.

He scored a try and two conversions for nine of the team's total points.

"You are not rookies anymore, remember that," Johnson told the new members during their post-game meet-up. "You have experience now."

Nick Potrykus has only played rugby for three weeks. After Saturday's game, he was named one of two "Men of the Match" along with Jack Turner, a returning player. It was his first game of competitive play.

"It was scary when I went out in the first quarter, but by the second I was more comfortable," said Potrykus, 20. "I heard the Fog usually kicked our a--, but we stuck it to them. We gave them a fair fight."

The game was played in quarters rather than halves because it was a friendly match. The team will play their next game on Oct. 24 at a tournament in Santa Cruz.