MORAGA, Calif. – California advanced to the national collegiate championship Saturday in Saint Mary's Stadium, outscoring Lindenwood University, six tries to three, with two each from wings Sam Cusano and Justin Dunn, along with five conversions (5-for-5) and a penalty goal by Elliot Webb for a 43-22 victory.
 
The Golden Bears (23-2) advance to the May 5 championship in Stevens Stadium in Santa Clara, where Cal will face Life University. The Running Eagles defeated Penn State, 69-14, Saturday in their semifinal in Marietta, Ga.
 
Lions winger Alexander Augspurg found the try zone first to open the scoring and Nick Feakes converted to give Lindenwood a 7-0 lead over Cal after 10 minutes, but Webb, playing fullback, got the Bears on the board with his penalty (1-for-2) at minute 19 and Cal went on a 24-point run on tries by Dunn and Cusano sandwiched around Keanu Andrade's try before the Bears allowed a late score by Lindenwood lock Jack Hucketepp to make it 24-14 at the half.
 
Lindenwood again scored first in the second stanza on a short penalty by Feakes (1-for-1), answered by a try by prop Kevin Sullivan. The Lions struck once more on a long-range score from wing Deion Mikesell at minute 67, but that came between the completed braces by Dunn and Cusano, and the Bears stayed focused to advance to the national collegiate 15s championship contest next weekend.
 
The Scoring Timeline vs. Lindenwood
 
08:00 Lindenwood (Alexander Augspurg) 5, (Nick Feakes) 2
 
20:00 Elliot Webb 3
 
23:00 Justin Dunn 5, Elliot Webb 2
 
27:00 Keanu Andrade 5, Elliot Webb 2
 
33:00 Sam Cusano 5, Elliot Webb 2
 
40:00 Lindenwood (Andreas Livadaras) 5, (Nick Feakes) 2
 
Halftime Score: California 24 , Lindenwood 14
 
51:00: Lindenwood (Nick Feakes) 3
 
53:00 Kevin Sullivan 5, Elliot Webb 2
 
62:00 Justin Dunn 5, Elliot Webb 2
 
67:00 Lindenwood (Deion Mikesell) 5
 
71:00 Sam Cusano 5
 
Final score: California 43, Lindenwood 22
 
The Team vs. Lindenwood
 
15. E. Webb (Howells @ 72:00), 14. Cusano, 13. Flynn, 12. Dyer, 11. Dunn, 10. Lockyear, 9. Andrade (Kurihara @ 75:00), 1. Sullivan (Joyce @ 77:00), 2 Iscaro, 3. Wiley (Baylor @ 75:00), 4. Casey, 5. Bader (Salter @ 75:00), 6. Spradling, 7. Mirhashem (Holland @ 75:00), 8. Robles (Heaney @ 75:00)