April 26, 2004
BERKELEY -
The Cal rugby team tries to regain the national title it lost last year when the Golden Bears meet Navy in the semifinals of the National Collegiate Championship Friday at Steuber Family Rugby Field on the Stanford campus.
Cal and Navy face off in the first match at 2 p.m., followed by defending champion Air Force against Cal Poly at 4 p.m. On Saturday, the Division II championship - Salisbury State vs. Arkansas State - will be played at 2 p.m., with the Division I final at 4 p.m.
The Division I title match will be also shown on a delayed basis by CSTV (College Sports Television) on Saturday, May 8 at 4 p.m. PT.
Over his career, Cal head coach Jack Clark has a combined 19-1 record vs. the U.S. military academies (Army, Navy and Air Force). However, that one loss was a 46-28 setback to Air Force in last season's semifinals - a defeat that ended the Bears' run of consecutive national championships at 12.
Cal reached the final four by winning its two playoff matches at home - 40-15 over Bowling Green State April 17 and 69-11 over North Carolina April 18.
Rugby National Championship Match Schedule
Friday, April 30
2 p.m. - Cal vs. Navy
4 p.m. - Air Force vs. Cal Poly
Saturday, May 1
2 p.m. - Division II Championship (Salisbury State
vs. Arkansas State)
4 p.m. - Division I Championship
(There will be no consolation match)
Venue
The matches will be played at Stanford's Steuber Field,
which is located just south of Sunken Diamond.
