(Orem, UT,
April 4,
2008) – Cal
Maritime
traveled to
Orem Utah to
play Utah
Valley State
College in
the opening
play-off
game. In a
thrilling
contest Utah
Valley
defeated Cal
Maritime by
34-22
effectively
ending the
Keelhaulers
season.
Cal Maritime
started with
a try
scoring
burst to go
up 17-0 in
the first
half. Wing
Kirk Mueller
scored two
tries that
finished off
some strong
team play.
Senior
Anthony
Merlonghi
also scored
under the
posts to end
an 80-yard
attack.
With Utah
Valley
scoring just
before half
time, the
score was
17-8 at the
break.
The second
half was a
very
different
affair as
Cal Maritime
missed
scoring two
quick tries
and then let
Utah Valley
seize
control of
the game.
Bobbie
Rather
scored for
the
Keelhaulers
but the game
soon
changed.
Utah Valley
gained
energy from
the crowd
and built
the score to
earn their
victory.
The result
means Cal
Maritime
face Western
Washington
in the
consolation
play-off
game while
Utah go on
to face
Santa Clara
to determine
who reaches
the elite 8.
“The game
was exciting
in rugby
terms but we
are
disappointed
that we let
them back in
to the game.
We have to
look at our
fitness and
remember
that we must
be prepared
to play the
entire game
in future”,
said coach
Edward
Roberts. “We
learned a
great deal
today and
our players
are hurt by
the result”.
