Feb. 22, 2003

Berkeley, CA. - The Golden Bears Varsity Rugby Team ran in 98 unanswered points to keep the Scrum Axe in Berkeley Saturday.

Wing Cameron Bunce scored four tries in the 16 try rout and flyhalf Matt Sherman added 19 points with a try and 7 conversions.

"We brought some pent-up energy to the match," said Cal head coach Jack Clark. "With the match not played for a couple of years, and with coming off a loss last week to UBC, I think our boys were putting everything they had into every minute of the match. In the end, we are just happy the match has been reinstated and wish Stanford the best the rest of the way."

A capacity crowd at Witter Rugby Field saw Joel DiGiorgio draw first blood after just two minutes, ghosting 20m through the defense from a quick-tap free kick. The scrumhalf would score again to open the second half. Prop Mike MacDonald, hooker Tony Vontz and fullback Andrew Blair also had tries in each half, with centers Alex Houser and Rob Weedon and No. 8 Andrew Lindsey also crossing for Cal.

The Cal team scored at slightly better than a point-per-minute pace, running in 52 points before the half. The pace slowed for a spell in the second period -- Stanford kept the Bears off the board for a 15 minute period -- but a late flurry of three tries in the last six minutes, saw Cal close to the century.

The Bears came through the match without major injury and next play at Cal State Sacramento on Saturday.

Cal Scoring First Half: Joel DiGiorgio try & Matt Sherman conversion, 2nd minute; Andrew Blair try, 9th min.; Sherman try & conv., 12th min.; Mike MacDonald try & Sherman conv., 21st min.; Tony Vontz try, 25th min.; Cameron Bunce try & Sherman conv., 28th min; Bunce try & Sherman conv., 35th min.; Alex Houser try & Sherman conv., injury time.

Second Half: DiGiorgio try, 42nd min.; MacDonald try, 45th min.; Andrew Blair try, 48th min.; Bunce try & Sherman conv., 55th min.; Bunce try, 28th min.; Rob Weedon try & James Orlando conv., 73rd min.; Vontz try, 77th min.; Andrew Lindsey try & Orlando conv., 78th min.

First Half Cal 52 Stanford 0

Second Half Cal 46 Stanford 0

Final Cal 98 Stanford 0

Cal Record: 4-1-0