BERKELEY – Homecoming Weekend at the Cal Invitational was the setting Saturday as the Golden Bears defeated UCLA, 58-3, to set up Sunday's tournament final between California and the Black Knights from Army West Point, which advanced to the final with a 44-10 win over Claremont Colleges.
 
Sunday on Witter Rugby Field, Claremont Colleges will take on UCLA in the Cal Invitational consolation match at 11 a.m. before Cal and Army kick off at 1 p.m. in the tournament final.
 
All generations of Cal rugby are encouraged to enjoy the ongoing festivities Sunday for the conclusion of the Cal Invitational. Gates open at 10 a.m. on Witter Rugby Field, where all Cal students are admitted free, as are all active military personnel with valid ID. Tickets are $10 each for adults, $5 each for youth ages 10-19 and seniors 65 and older, and $3 each for groups of 10 or more. Advance online tickets can be purchased here.
 
Cal (16-1, 4-0 PAC) will have its hands full with the Black Knights (8-2, 4-2 East), who are coached by Matt Sherman. Sherman is a former U.S. National Team player; former Cal co-captain, All-American and 2002 national champion under Jack Clark as a player; and an assistant coach for Clark on the 2008 national collegiate champion Cal team who is now in his third year at the helm at West Point.
 
A large crowd replete with alumni were already giddy Saturday from the excitement of their reunion when players and fans received a wonderful surprise: the return of Robert Paylor, who was at Witter Rugby Field on his first visit back to Cal since his serious injury last May.
 
"This is such a special day for me. There are so many people I want to thank," Paylor said during a sideline interview with Pac-12 Networks. "It was very emotional to see them out there on that field. I wish I could be out there with them. I'm determined to get out of this chair. I might not be back on that field with them, but I will be back at Berkeley soon."
 
Paylor has been accepted into the Haas School of Business and is expected to return to campus full-time in the fall to continue his pursuit of an undergraduate degree at Cal in Business Administration.
 
"It was the most inspirational thing we could have had today, seeing him back where he deserves to be," said center Matt Ternan, who scored two tries.
 
The Bears were able to take care of business against the Bruins with a starting lineup featuring seven freshman. Cal traded early penalty goals with UCLA before the Rugby Bears reeled off 55 unanswered points to seal the victory. Replacement winger William Fuller also scored two tries, while flyhalf Matthew Coyle delivered 13 points on his penalty goal (1-for-1) and five conversions (5-of-9).
 
"We were able to get it done a lot of young players," said Coyle. "It was such an honor to have Robert Paylor out here watching along with all the alumni."
 
"The atmosphere was electric," added prop Jack Iscaro. "Once we settled in and played within ourselves, we were able to get the game under control."
 
The Scoring Timeline vs. UCLA
 
03:00 Matthew Coyle 3
 
05:00 UCLA (Yoh Nakayama) 3
 
24:00 Marcus Shankland 5, Matthew Coyle 2
 
39:00 Matt Ternan 5
 
Halftime Score: California 15, UCLA 3
 
44:00 Henry Baylor 5, Matthew Coyle 2
 
51:00 Jack Manzo 5, Matthew Coyle 2
 
57:00 Sid Holland 5
 
60:00 Matt Ternan 5
 
67:00 Will Fuller 5, Matthew Coyle 2
 
73:00 Will Fuller 5, Matthew Coyle 2
 
79:00 Gavin Janis 5
 
Final Score: California 58, UCLA 3
 
The Team vs. UCLA
15. Webb, 14. Dunn (Fuller @ 60:00), 13. Purdey (Janis @ 65:00), 12. Ternan, 11. Shankland, 10. Coyle, 9. Kurihara (T. d'Auriol @ 68:00), 1. Iscaro (Joyce @ 65:00), 2. Manzo (Duvall @ 65:00), 3. Baylor (Douglas @ 65:00), 4. Le Merle, 5. Golla, 6. Kay, 7. Holland, 8. Heaney (Richards-Smith @ 60:00)