USD VS Cal Maritime Academy
On the last weekend before thanksgiving USD took on Cal Maritime Academy in San Diego. It was a highly competitive rugby and the best overall game of the season that USD took part in. USD would lose 5-15 and missed several scoring opportunities that hurt them in the match.
The game would start with both teams making forays into the opposition’s half. Blake Limon had a darting run from a counter attack that nearly went the distance. A couple good kicks by the Maritime flyhallf put USD under a lot of pressure. Maritime would convert that pressure into points with a try in the corner then an impressive conversion to put the game at 0-7. A penalty soon after put the score at 0-10 about 20 minutes in. USD finally found their rhythm and built some forward momentum. A big break from freshman wing Henri Vatinel led to a couple phases of possession inside the Maritime 22. Scrum Half Brandon Arriaga dove over for a smart try for USD’s first point of the game. The try was unconverted and the score would be at 5-10 until the final play of the 1st half. A miscommunication on the blind side of the scrum left a gap in the USD defensive line and and easy score for Maritime before halftime. The score would put the game at 5-15 and would be the last points score in the game.
The second half was filled with unconverted opportunities for USD. Darren Seward had several huge runs that were not finished off with points, and Mikhail Mabourakh dove into the corner to score later on after a big run but was deemed to have stepped into touch. The frustrating second half highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of the Torero’s game on the day. Frequent line breaks and constant dominance in contact were not enough as USD were not clinical enough inside the opponents 22. Mishaps at the breakdown and key knock ons really hurt the team.
There were standout performances across the board with no performance better than captain Mickey Miller. Miller contributed several key turnover and was frequently breaking tackles as a ball carrier. As USD continues their preparation for the spring league season a reliable captain who can put in consistent dominant performances will provide a consistent level of play for the team.
Final Score: USD 5- Cal Maritime 15
MVP- Mickey Miller
Starting Lineup
Clayton Cervantes
Adam Swete
Andrew Lopez
Darren Seward
Wyn Bevan
Wyatt Darien
Mikhail Mabourakh
Cameron Miller
Brandon Arriaga
Cameron Wilmer
Henri Vatinel
Mickey Miller
Mark Boschetti
Blake Limon
Jordan Sandoval
Substituions
16. Yianni Charalambous (40’ Bevan)
17. Nick Classen (40’ Cervantes)
18. Isoa Moimoi (55’ Boschetti)
19. Connor O’ Shaughnessy (70’ Arriaga)
20. Johnathan Hale (75’ Darien)