Life University is in to the final of the Women's D1 Elite college championships after a dramatic 17-15 defeat of Penn State in the semifinals Friday at Cal State Fullerton's Titan Stadium.

Shown LIVE on FloRugby, this game was every bit as dramatic as expected. Life was used to crushing most opponents, but Penn State worked to take space and time away from the Running Eagles, and did a brilliant job at it.

That defensive pressure, and a smart kicking game, put Penn State on the front foot and led to a Tess Feury penalty goal.

Penn State continued to force turnovers and turn the Life defense around. And from a scrum deep in the Life end, got a penalty, and quick-tapped. Scrumhalf Carly Waters was in at the corner. And then a rare Life mistake. Waters was tackled around the neck as she touched down, meaning this was a penalty try, instead of a try in the corner. So, an automatic seven points. While Feury is a strong goalkicker, she would have had to attempt a conversion from the wrong side for a right-footer, and from the touchline. This play would matter later.

Life started to piece together more cohesive attacks, and found that they could get through the Penn State defense by offloading shorter passes up the middle. It worked, and late in the first half, center Kaitlyn Broughton capped off a snappy attack up the gut, and Whitney Wilson converted to make it 10-7 Penn State at the break.

In the second half, Life slowly started to have the run of play. Both teams tried to use the boot to gain territory in what was an increasingly physical game. Both teams also liked to use their props - Azniv Nalbandian for Penn State and Megan Rom for Life - to bash up the middle.

Eventually, it was a kicking exchange that made the difference. A smart box kick from Life scrumhalf Madison Ohmann gave Penn State few options other than to kick back, and from there Life launched a counter-attack with Wilson and Alexandria Sedrick involved, before Sydnee Cervsinki got a short pass to evade one more tackler and go in under the posts.

Wilson was good on the kick and Life led 14-10.

Back came Penn State. Waters harassed her opposite at the base of the scrum and earned a turnover. And Penn State attacked down the weak side to put hooker Kira Garnett in at the corner. 15-14 for Penn State. Now this is where the penalty try had an effect. Had there been no penalty try, Life would likely have led 14-13, and could have perhaps run out the clock.

Instead, the Running Eagles needed points. They got them in a smart way. Some strong running from center Maria Marin Garcia, and plenty of hard work from the forwards put Life down to the Penn State line. The try was there for the backs, but the ball moved too slowly, and Penn State defended bravely. Finally, though, Penn State was in from the side at a ruck, and Wilson put the kick over for the 17-14 lead.

There was time for a little more play, but a tackle into touch ended the game.

It was a superb game, capped off with some smart, tenacious rugby to use the clock and finish it off.  Penn State had an excellent game plan for Life, but Life adjusted just enough.