May 7, 2011
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Postseason Bracket | Live Scoring via Twitter
MORAGA, Calif. - California defeated Life University to win its national quarterfinal, 43-10, scoring six tries while yielding only one to the Running Eagles Saturday on Pat Vincent Field. Flyhalf James Bailes connected of 5-of-6 conversions and flanker Tom Rooke recorded a hat trick as Cal advanced to the national semifinals May 14 in Glendale, Colo.
The Bears will face Utah match in a semifinal at Infinity Park next Saturday, a 6 p.m. MT contest that will be webcast live on ESPN3.com (5 p.m. PT) and broadcast locally on ESPNU by tape delay at 7:30 p.m. PT. The Utes beat Army, 32-26, to earn their semifinal slot.
Cal, which opted to play into the wind in the first half, clamped down on Life's pick-and jam attack through the forwards while building a 24-3 halftime lead. Bailes employed a line-drive style to muscle three conversions and a penalty kick through the posts with the wind in his face, while visiting flyhalf Joe Cowley connected on a three-point penalty boot in the 22nd minute but missed a prior penalty attempt and a subsequent drop goal.
Switching sides at the break did little to improve Life's luck against the controlled performance of the Bears, who corrected any field-position imbalance and added three more tries to the scoreboard. Life's Jonathan Marshall scored the Eagles' lone try, converted by Cowley, in the 64th minute.
"We got some work done in the forwards today," said Rooke, who finished his hat trick with a try in the 53rd minute. "They put some phases together on occasion, but we ended up matching up pretty well."
"We're happy to win," said co-captain Blaine Scully, "but we're also happy to learn some lessons from this game."
Added lock Drew Hyjer: "We want to keep focusing on being the first ones to every contest."
Elsewhere in the national quarterfinals, BYU defeated Navy, 64-12, and Arkansas State beat Saint Mary's, 30-17. The Cougars and Red Wolves face each other in next Saturday's other semifinal.
Fans can use the printable bracket to follow the action all the way through the national collegiate championship at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, May 21.
The Scoring Timeline vs. Life University:
09:00 Neill Barrett 5, James Bailes 2
18:00 James Bailes 3
22:00 Life (Joe Cowley) 3
27:00 Tom Rooke 5, James Bailes 2
36:00 Tom Rooke 5, James Bailes 2
Halftime: California 24, Life 3
41:00 Seamus Kelly 5, James Bailes 2
53:00 Tom Rooke 5
64:00 Life (Jonathan Marshall) 5, (Joe Cowley) 2
80:00 Jared Braun 5, James Bailes 2
Final Score: California 43, Life 10
The Team vs. Life University:
15. Scully, 14. Muhn, 13. Kelly, 12. Gallinger (Braun @ 72:00), 11. McTurk, 10. Bailes, 9. Ring (Bosco @ 56:00), 1. Deterding, 2. N. Barrett, 3. Besser, 4. Hyjer (Law @ 13:00, Hyjer @ 20:00, Law @ 56:00), 5. R. Hodson (Daly @ 68:00), 6. Asbun (R. Hodson @ 68:00), 7. Rooke, 8. D. Barrett (Asbun @ 68:00)
