(Santa
Clara, Jan
19,
2008)– On
a perfect
sunny day,
Cal Maritime
failed to
preserve an
early
13-0 lead to
lose to an
effective
Santa Clara
team in the
opening
league game
of the
season.
Kicking was
the
difference
in the 23-18
final score
as Santa
Clara kicked
a penalty
and a
conversion
to earn the
victory.
David Vander
Hoek opened
the scoring
for the
Keelhaulers
from a well
executed
scrum move.
Rufus Walker
kicked a
penalty
before Casey
Helget
fought his
way over the
line to make
the score
13-0 after
just 12
minutes.
Concerted
pressure and
mistakes
from a
lineout let
Santa Clara
back into
the game as
they
slowly built
their
scores.
Rufus Walker
scored a try
in the
second half
as Cal
Maritime
battled to
re-gain the
lead but it
was too
late. After
leaving some
try scoring
opportunities
unfinished,
the clock
ran out and
Santa Clara
was
victorious.
“We
started well
and our
defensive
shape was
good during
the first
half. But
throughout
the game we
failed to
finish off
the
opportunities
we created,"
said coach
Edward
Roberts. "We
have to look
at what
happened and
fix the
errors that
we made.”
In
the reserve
grade game
Cal Maritime
2nd XV
defeated Santa
Clara 2nd
XV by 15-0
with
tries from
David Vander
Hoek, Ryan
Ruvald and
Luis
Navarrete.
Cal Maritime
host San
Jose State
on Friday
January 25,
2008
(Kick off 7pm).
