UCLA 39 Cal Poly 13 (Ht: UCLA 10-3)

(Los Angeles) Led by a brace from center Sam Sirell, #11 UCLA swept aside #13 Cal Poly 39-13 on North Athletic Field, laying claim to the remaining playoff seed in the D1-A Pacific Conference.

Tight defense in the first half limited scoring to a penalty goal each from the opposing halfbacks. Seven minutes before the split, Bruins outside center Sam Sirell scored the first of his two tries, with a conversion from scrumhalf Grant Penney, to put UCLA up 10-3 at halftime.

The Bruins refocused in the second to run in four unanswered tries, with two scorers coming off the bench. The Mustangs managed to score twice in the final minutes, with a try each from flyhalf Matt Verga and flanker Matt Ryan, but the point differential was insurmountable and UCLA closed with a 39-13 win.

With Saturday's victory, UCLA (3-1 Pacific) advances to the first round of May's D1-A playoffs as the second seed from the conference, behind #3 St. Mary's. Both teams' playoff chances hinged on a win - Cal Poly needed to defeat UCLA, then #14 Central Washington in order to secure the remaining berth. The Mustangs play the Wildcats (both 1-2 Pacific) to conclude their D1-A season April 21st, in San Luis Opisbo, CA.

UCLA Bruins

Tries: Sam Sirell (2), James Faccinto, Andrew Bailey, Tanner Heaphy, Stanton Sharpe
Conversions: Grant Penney (2), Tanner Heaphy
Penalty goal: Grant Penney

Ben Francis (Tanner Heaphy); Martial Chaput, Samuel Sirell (Stanton Sharpe), Race Noedlner, Edwin de Dios; James Faccinto (Tyler Pritchard), Grant Penney (Conrad Paxton); Andrew Bailey, Jackson Brown, William Murphy, Neboysa Omcikus (Jonathan Warren), Pierre Courpron, Aaron Elman, David Anders-Richards (Matthew Frederickson), Stephen Yoshida (Joshua Parr, Yoshida.)

Cal Poly SLO Mustangs 

Tries: Matt Verga, Matt Ryan
Penalty goal: Matt Verga
Yellow cards: Philip Bezouska, Landis Nasser

Landis Nasser; Cody Perez, Jake Gersh, Michael Dumelle (Andy Early), Alex Frost; Matt Verga, Tommy Leecox; Aaron Bordenave, Pat McCreesh, Ben Crosby, Eric Parsons, Bobby McNeill (Philip Bezouska), Joe Saldana, Matt Ryan, Dave Schaefer.

Referee: Erasmus Kristoffersen Aruna Ranaweera (Southern California)
Attendance: Unavailable

Comments

[Provo Spectator]

So, the powder blue and gold Bruins will have the opportunity of journeying to Utah Valley at the western margin of the Rocky Mountain to play BYU at South Field. Good on 'em. It should be a rousing match. Any word about broadcasting for the playoffs?

[South Park]

Aruna Ranaweera was the referee. Referee you have listed was one of the assigned ARs.

[South Park]

Sorry - the ARs were Erasmus and Kristofferson. Two different people.

[Bing Guan]

Thank you for the correction, South Park. 'Erasmus Kristofferson' did come across as a very improbable name.

[NorCal]

Aruna Ranaweera is a referee in NorCal, not SoCal.