MORAGA, Calif. – California rugby fell to Saint Mary's 34-16 in the D1A National Collegiate Championship quarterfinal round. The Golden Bears close out the XV's season with a 11-4 overall record.

"We wanted nothing more than to keep training, playing and to stay on the journey," Cal head coach Jack Clark said. "Saint Mary's earned that today and we congratulate them. I'm proud of our boys, they certainly gave their all."
 
Cal had the run of play for the first 10 minutes of the contest, but it was Saint Mary's that put points on the board first. A knock-on by Cal set up a Saint Mary's scrum five meters out from the goal-line and the Gaels picked it from the back and dotted down in the right corner for a try.
 
After the restart, the Bears were on the attack in Gael territory and were awarded a penalty on a not releasing call against a Gael. Junior Kealan O'Connell sent it sailing through the uprights and it was 5-3. The Gaels answered with a penalty kick of their own at minute 20 to extend their lead 8-3.
 
Five minutes later, Saint Mary's capitalized on a Cal fumble a few meters out from the Bears' tryzone and recovered the loose ball before punching it in the left corner for a try. Three minutes later, a penalty for a Gael not releasing gave Cal another opportunity to take points off O'Connell's boot. He sent the ball right down the middle of the posts to give the Bears another three points. Saint Mary's managed to score one more try as the first period was expiring to take a 20-6 advantage into the break.
 
After the intermission, Saint Mary's carried in a try three minutes into the second period. Cal's defense then put up a fight and held the Gaels off for nearly 20 minutes. The Bears strung together some solid attacking phases to work into Gael territory, but Saint Mary's blocked and recovered a Cal kick before taking it down the length of the pitch through multiple hands before setting down a score.
 
Cal then put up two unanswered tries to close out the contest. The Bears got themselves into scoring position and put the forwards to work pick-and-jamming on the goal-line before swinging it out to the backs. Sophomore Rand Santos got possession and broke through the Saint Mary's defense between the posts to log a try.
 
Cal continued to forge ahead, working its way back into scoring territory and setting up a scrum a few meters out. Senior co-captain Alex Aguero picked the ball from the back and lofted it to senior Caleb Tomasin, who came off the bench midway through the second half. Tomasin carried hard and punched it in the left corner for a try. After a hard fought battle, time on the clock ran out with a 34-16 score in favor of the Gaels.
 
Scoring Timeline
Cal vs. Saint Mary's
11:00 – Saint Mary's 5
13:00 – Kealan O'Connell 3
20:00 – Saint Mary's 3
33:00 – Saint Mary's 5, Saint Mary's 2
35:00 – Kealan O'Connell 3
40:00 – Saint Mary's 5
Half: Saint Mary's 20, Cal 6
43:00 – Saint Mary's 5, Saint Mary's 2
64:00 – Saint Mary's 5, Saint Mary's 2
71:00 – Rand Santos 5
78:00 – Caleb Tomasin 5
Final: Saint Mary's 34, Cal 16
 
Starting XV:
1. Emilio Shea 2. Cade Crist 3. Charlie Walsh 4. Pat Deely 5. Tom Dixon 6. Hugo Schreuder 7. Jon Puckett 8. Alex Aguero 9. Solomon Williams 10. Rand Santos 11. Evan Weigold 12. Max Threlkeld 13. Will Shankland 14. Joe Kirsten 15. Kealan O'Connell
 
Substitutions:
Miles Malone (Blood Substitution 30-37:00), Bryan Bogne (52:00), Oliver Newall (56:00), Caleb Tomasin (62:00), Brett Dowgiewicz (64:00), Clayton Seastrand (66:00), Mack Fell (71:00)
 
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