BERKELEY – After receiving a bye week in the first round of the playoffs, the Cal rugby team are returning to the pitch this Saturday to begin their postseason campaign. The Bears will host Central Washington at Witter Rugby Field on April 16 at noon.
 
"It will be good to resume play. The team is excited for the opportunity," head coach Jack Clark said. "Central Washington is a good team, there are no easy matches in April."
 
The Bears are currently ranked No. 1 in the region after putting up an undefeated record during the regular season. They are coming off a victory versus Saint Mary's on March 26 where they outscored the Gaels 31-24. In a back-and-forth affair in Strawberry Canyon, the Bears scored five tries by five different players to clinch the win. The Cal forwards put up an impressive performance in the contest, with sophomore props Charlie Walsh and Emilio Shea and veteran hooker Jack Manzo all collecting tries from the front row. Number 8 Jason Severance and flanker Nathan Zylstra also put points on the board, while junior Nate Salter went 3-for-5 on conversions.
 
Senior captain and Rudy Scholz Award nominee Sam Golla will once again lead the team as they enter the playoffs. Joining him in the second row is senior Max Murphy who will also bolster the squad's power versus Central Washington. In the back row, senior Nick Bloom and junior Max Schumacher will join the starting lineup once again, looking to build upon their impressive season statistics of 13 and nine tries scored in 15s competition, respectively. Senior Marcus Shankland will also be returning to the pitch after being out the last several weeks due to injury.
 
This will be the second time the Bears and the Wildcats go head-to-head in Strawberry Canyon this spring. In their last matchup, Cal defeated Central Washington 48-19 in a notably physical battle. Central Washington is coming to Berkeley following their win in the first round of the playoffs versus Cal Poly. They defeated the Mustangs 62-17 in the Round of 16 to advance to the West Region Quarterfinals.
 
The gates at Witter Rugby Field will open at 11 am on Saturday, with kickoff set for noon. Tickets for the match can be purchased here. The match will be streamed live for fans unable to attend.
 
For complete coverage of Cal rugby, follow the Bears on Twitter (@CalVarsityRugby), Instagram (@CalVarsityRugby), and Facebook (/CalVarsityRugby).