Pride and disappointment ran rampant Wednesday as the second day of Tugs events saw several unexpected outcomes.

The most surprising turnout of the day occurred when Sigma Phi Epsilon beat out Phi Kappa Sigma by taking the rope in the third tug. Wednesday’s victory over the Skulls sends the Sig Eps into their first championship Tugs round in at least 12 years.

Adam Newbauer, a first-year tugger for Sigma Phi Epsilon, attributes the win to the team’s tugging strategy.

“We knew they were going to be heavier and stronger … but we were faster and more in sync,” he said.

Ghassan Khoury, house president and third-year tugger for the Skulls, declined to comment on the match.

During the second matchup of the day, Sigma Alpha Epsilon took on Delta Chi. SAE’s tuggers managed to take the win in the first two matches. This is the first time SAE has won a Tugs match.

Anthony Govic, a caller for SAE, said his house’s triumph over Delta Chi is a “monumental moment.”

“Everybody is really excited because now we have passed the breaking point. We’ve proven that we should be out there,” he said.

The third match of the day brought Pi Kappa Alpha up against Sigma Pi. The tension on the field heated during the first match when a caller from Sigma Pi initially was thrown out of the game after crossing the line to taunt the Pikes’ tuggers. Craig Marcus, Sig Eps president and match caller, allowed the caller back into the game a short while later, saying he only was supposed to be given a warning instead of being removed from the match completely.

The Pikes won the match after they took the advantage in the first two tugs. In the third tug, they took the knot after pulling the rope all the way back to their side after Sigma Pi had started with a strong lead that at one point saw the knot as far back as their second trench.

The Pikes’ victory brings excitement and anticipation to Sig Eps members, who look forward to seeing their house take on the Pikes for first place this Friday.

“Pikes are fundamentally sound. I respect Pikes more than any other frat, except for us,” said Dave Tamalunas, a member of Sig Eps.

Friday’s final matches will be between Tau Kappa Epsilon and SAE for fifth place, Sigma Pi versus the Skulls for third and the Pikes against the Sig Eps for the championship.

The cost to attend Friday’s Tugs competition is $6, with a dollar off for those who bring a canned good and an additional dollar off for those who present programs that were handed out at Monday’s Tugs matches. All of the proceeds will go to Sig Eps’ philanthropy, the Earhardt Fund, which provides college scholarships to underprivileged students.