EMILY REID/Arizona Daily Wildcat UA rugby player Joe Schmitt (#1) helps to lift Paul Rouff for a lineout possession in a game earlier this month. Arizona came back from behind to defeat Air Force, 41-34, yesterday at Estevan Park.

Arizona head coach Dave Sitton has seen a lot of rugby during his 29 years of involvement with the program.

But Sitton said the Wildcats 41-34 win over Air Force last night at Estevan Park was one of the most exciting matches he has ever seen.

Sitton, who is the play-by-play announcer for both the UA basketball and football teams (and is rarely at a loss for words), had only one word to describe the win.

"Wow."

The final five minutes of the match were a bit of a roller coaster for the ruggers.

With Arizona trailing the Falcons 27-34, Air Force made a costly turnover and UA senior center Andrew Libowitz picked up a fumble and ran more than 55 yards for the try, pulling the Wildcats within two.

Junior fullback David Wood followed the try with a long point-after kick from a difficult angle and tied the game at 34.

UA was able to control the ball for the next few minutes and created two potential game-winning field goals, but Wood missed them both.

With time running out, Air Force controlled the ball deep in its offensive end and looked as though it might create a go-ahead score.

However, the UA defense caused another turnover and Wood found senior wing Pat Marek in the flats.

Marek made a couple Air Force defenders miss and raced to the goal line for the game-winning score as time expired.

"We had been talking earlier (about) what we would do when we got the ball back," Marek said. "When I got the ball, there was room and I just took advantage."

Marek said he was "fired up" about scoring the game-winning try, but was just as happy with the win.

"Air Force is a playoff team and we're not," Marek said. "It was a big win, and we know we can compete with any team in the playoffs."

The Wildcats started the game scoring the first 19 points and jumping out to an early lead, much to the surprise of Sitton.

"We didn't look excited to play," Sitton said.

Air Force fought back and trailed UA 27-24 at halftime.

The Falcons scored the next 10 points and led the Wildcats for a majority of the second half until the two fast-break tries by the Wildcats.

"(The game) was a microcosm of our season," Sitton said.

He said that for 40 minutes of the game the team looked like one of the best rugby teams in the nation, but for the other 40 minutes, the team struggled.

Sitton gave a lot of credit to his team for making the late-game comeback after relinquishing a big lead.

"It's very difficult to give up a big lead and come back and win," Sitton said.

The Wildcats struggled to keep control of the ball for much of the game and turned the ball over nine times when they controlled the ball in a lineout.

"It is very hard to win when (turnovers) happen," Sitton said. "We made the plays we had to. That was the difference."