March 21, 2009

MORAGA, Calif. - Keegan Engelbrecht kicked two first-half penalties and added conversions to second-half tries by forwards Chris Biller and Kyle Balough as the California Golden Bears locked up the top seed in the national postseason with their 20-5 win over Saint Mary's at Pat Vincent Field Saturday afternoon.

Neither team found the try zone in the first 40 minutes though both squads played a man down after separate yellow cards for repeated infringements at the ruck, with the Gales' sin bin spilling into the second stanza. Engelbrecht's penalty boots made it a 6-0 halftime lead for the Bears.

The Gaels cut the lead to 6-5 at minute 44 when SMC scrumhalf Blake McGuhan finished a 95-meter counterattack off an interception by outside center Tim Maupin. Fullback Austin Mount missed the conversion that would have given Saint Mary's the lead.

Quick restarts and adventurous counterattacks from deep inside SMC territory were hallmarks of the Gaels' effort. SMC pressured the Bears with speedy cutbacks that often found daylight up the middle of the field.

But it was Cal senior hooker Chris Biller who seized one of those loose-play opportunities to score a crucial try in minute 62, emerging from a ruck following a lineout and rumbling past a tackler 30 meters for a try. "It was a broken play that worked out well," Biller said.

Engelbrecht lined up and made the conversion to increase Cal's advantage to 13-5, keeping SMC one point more than a converted try from the lead.

The Bears and Gaels both suffered missed opportunities with untimely knock-ons close to the try zone. Big bursts by inside center Colin Hawley and the Bears backline were traded by return runs by Hawley's opposite No. 12, Brendan O'Meara, and the SMC backs.

Cal remained able to pressure the Gaels' inside their half of the pitch, creating the opportunity for Balough to end the scoring after he secured the ball from a ruck and freed himself to find the try zone.

"Both teams have a lot of moments they'd probably like to take back; I know our kids certainly do. We really let ourselves down in the pass-and-catch department," said Gaels head coach Tim O'Brien. "We hope to have the chance to play Cal again this year."

The win sends Cal (26-0) into the national postseason as the No. 1 seed in the 16-team competition, with the Bears facing the Midwest No. 2 team April 18 at Witter Rugby Field in the first round.

Next up for the Bears is a trip to Vancouver Thursday to face the British Columbia Thunderbirds in the second and final match of the match of the "World Cup" series, in which Cal carries a 16-point advantage. A visit to Central Washington Saturday will end the Bears' regular season.

The Scoring Timeline vs. Saint Mary's

09:00 Keegan Engelbrecht 3

14:00 Keegan Engelbrecht 3

Halftime: California 6, Saint Mary's 0

44:00 Saint Mary's (Blake McGuhan) 5

62:00 Chris Biller 5, Keegan Engelbrecht 2

79:00 Kyle Balough, Keegan Engelbrecht 2

Final Score: California 20, Saint Mary's 5

The Team vs. Saint Mary's

15. Bailes, 14. Muhn, 13. Scully, 12. Hawley, 11. R. Taylor, 10. Engelbrecht ©, 9. Mase (Ring @ 12:00), 1. Wilhelmy, 2. Biller (N. Barrett @ 21:00, Biller @ 31:00), 3. Besser (J. Barret @ 73:00), 4. Jesseman (Snellgrove @ 54:00), 5. Fry, 6. Kidd, 7. Rooke, 8. Asbun* (Balough @ 54:00, Jason Law @ 64:00, Balough @ 69:00)
*off for front-row eligible player 21:00-31:00