Cal Rugby Defeats No. 1 Navy in Thrilling Matchup

BERKELEY, Calif. — The No. 4 California Golden Bears defeated the No. 1 Navy Midshipmen 52-45 in a back-and-forth rugby match Saturday afternoon at Witter Rugby Field, handing Navy their first loss of the season. The game was a showcase of offensive prowess from both sides, with the lead changing hands multiple times.

Game Highlights

Avion Ganse led Navy with a hat trick, scoring three tries. Andrew Baublitz added two tries, even as Roanin Krieger contributed five conversions and a penalty kick. For California, Oliver Newall scored two tries, and Rand Santos added a try and converted six kicks.

California opened the scoring in the third minute with a try from Oliver Newall, converted by Rand Santos. They quickly extended their lead to 14-0 with another try from Nate Comiskey and successful conversion by Santos. Navy responded with a penalty kick by Roanin Krieger and a try from Avion Ganse, narrowing the gap to 14-10.

The Midshipmen continued their momentum, taking the lead with tries from Dalton Sand and Andrew Baublitz (with Krieger conversions), reaching a 24-14 advantage. California answered with a try from Michal de Beer, and Navy quickly responded with another try from Baublitz before halftime, leading 31-21.

The second half saw a flurry of scoring. California began with a try from Elliott Lewis, followed by Newall’s second try of the game, regaining the lead at 33-31. Navy fought back with a try from Ganse, and California responded with a try from Santos, tying the game at 38-38.

Ganse completed his hat trick with another try for Navy, giving them a 45-38 lead. However, California quickly equalized with a try from Masi Koi. The decisive score came in the 75th minute when Oliver Teague crossed for a try, securing the 52-45 victory for California.

Coach’s Comments

“Obviously we are very disappointed with the result of today’s game,” said Navy director of rugby Gavin Hickie. “I am incredibly proud of the effort from the team today and we will regroup.”

Next Game for Navy

Navy will continue their West Coast trip, facing BYU next Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

Witter Rugby Field Details

The match was played at Witter Rugby Field, a dedicated rugby facility built in 1995 and featuring a synthetic turf installed in September 2019. Learn more about Witter Rugby Field.

Full game details available on Navy Sports and Sports Illustrated.