JMU Men's Rugby Club is back on the road this Saturday, traveling to Pittsburgh for a Mid-Atlantic Rugby Conference match. The A-side kicks off at 1 p.m. ET, with the B-side to follow.

The Dukes make the trip west on a two-game winning streak. After an opening loss at St. Joseph's, JMU have put up back-to-back blowout wins, and they will be looking to make it three in a row against a Pitt side eager to protect its home field.

Riding the momentum

Two weeks ago the Dukes routed Rowan 60-12 in their home opener at John Carr Field. Last Saturday they went one better, braving a Nor'easter on the long trip to New Jersey and coming home 62-7 winners over Rutgers. That is 122 points across two weekends.

Hooker Andrew Ringel set the tone at Rutgers with five tries and the Man of the Match award. Logan Edler, who crossed four times against Rowan, ran hard all afternoon. JJ Tiago worked tirelessly on both sides of the ball, Preston Francois kicked eight conversions, and freshman Ryan Chambers impressed in the second row on his First XV debut. Head coach Mark Fowler pointed to the forwards, who he said ground the result out on the road.

A tough trip west

Pitt have not had the results they wanted this season, but Fowler is quick to say that counts for little on a Saturday at their place. Home field advantage cannot be overstated, and the Dukes expect a side lifted by its own crowd and looking to turn its season around. Every fixture in the MARC is a hard, physical contest, and a long road trip only sharpens the challenge.

"After a good performance last weekend there is a great deal of enthusiasm in the Dukes camp, but you're only as good as your last game, and we will be giving Pitt a great deal of respect," Fowler said.

Next man up

JMU travel with a few injuries to manage, which means changes on the team sheet. Fowler sees that as an opportunity rather than a setback, a chance for someone else to step in and claim the jersey. At this stage of the season, he said, it comes down to executing with accuracy, and if the Dukes do that they will be competitive.

The B-side is in action as well, keeping the conference fixture complete and giving more of the squad a run on the road.

How to follow

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET at the University of Pittsburgh. Match video will be posted on the club Watch page, where you can also catch up on the Rowan and Rutgers wins. The recap goes up Tuesday.

Getting there

Saturday's match is at the University of Pittsburgh. It is a longer haul than the recent trips north, but if you are anywhere near Pittsburgh, come out and back the Dukes.

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