BERKELEY – California rugby hosts Grand Canyon University at Witter Rugby Field on Saturday at 1 p.m. PT. The gates in Strawberry Canyon will open at noon and concessions will be sold on-site with cashless forms of payment accepted. Fans can purchase tickets here, or watch the live stream.
 
The Bears and the Lopes met last February for a 15-a-side matchup in Arizona, with Cal defeating GCU 84-0. Senior co-captains Nathan Zylstra and Max Schumacher both contributed points for the Bears, with Zylstra scoring a try and Schumacher tallying four tries and seven conversions. The Lopes last visited Berkeley in the 2018 National Postseason Round of 16 when Cal defeated GCU 85-14.  
 
Cal looks to extend its 5-0 XVs record following a convincing win over UC Santa Barbara last weekend. The Bears scored 17 tries by 11 different student-athletes at Harder Stadium in Goleta. Four players scored a brace in the match with Max Clark, Zylstra, Max Threlkeld and Evan Weigold each logging two tries apiece.
 
Sophomore Kealan O'Connell came off the bench in the second half and went on to record a hat trick of tries and three successful conversion kicks to contribute 21 points. Schumacher scored a try and went 12-for-13 on the extras to add 29 points.
 
Against GCU, Cal will make four changes to the first 15 that started against UCSB, including senior Luke Freeman's return to the starting XV for the first time since the match with UCLA at the Dennis Storer Classic in January. Freeman will wear the No. 6 shirt, the same position he played against the Bruins.
 
Junior Will Shankland remains the starting outside center versus the Lopes, a position in which he made eight starts last season as a sophomore, including in the National Collegiate Championships quarter and semifinal matches. Shankland has worn the No. 13 shirt twice this XVs season as a starter against UCLA at the Storer Classic and versus UCSB last weekend.
 
Fellow returning starter Nate Salter will play as the flyhalf versus GCU. Salter has made two appearances as the No. 10 this season – against UCSB and UCLA. The senior has contributed three tries, including back-to-back scores against the Bruins and one versus the Gauchos. Salter made nine starts as the flyhalf in 2022 XVs play and made 34 conversion attempts for the Bears.
 
The Lopes visit Strawberry Canyon with a win over UCLA under their belts in 2023. GCU hosted the Bruins in Phoenix on Jan. 21 and collected a 24-14 victory for its season opener in XV's play. The Lopes entered 2023 ranked 15th nationally in the D1A poll.
 
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