Individual Game Recaps Davis Downs Sac St. 2/2/2008 Davis Beats Sac State Saturday February 2 Whenever the UC Davis Men’s Rugby team matches up against its counterpart from Sac State the result is usually a tough, physical match. This expectation was further reinforced for Davis due to a week of rain that left the field a little sloppy. A week earlier Davis lost to Chico in similar conditions. The Aggies could not afford to lose another game to a team that they believed to be of a lower skill level. This time the Aggies came out on top by a score of 27-7. The Aggies looked much more ready to play this Saturday, and took early control of the match. The Sac St. scrumhalf was having a difficult time connecting with his fly-half, and unforced turnovers allowed Davis to take possession deep in opposing territory. The Aggies were unable to deliver a try after a few plays, but eventually center Tom Warner found the line for the score. The Aggies continued to keep up the defensive pressure, which allowed them to deliver a few long runs off of turnover. Fly-half Julien Howsepian added a try off of good team play. The Aggie forwards especially had a lot to prove after being outmuscled at times by Chico and responded very well. Prop Colin Clark who has been a great force all season added another try to his tally by bulling his way through a couple of defenders. Howsepian was 2 of 3 on after try conversions, making the score 19-0 at halftime in favor of the home team. The second half was a bit sloppier for the Aggies, partly attributable to the damage done to the field in the first forty minutes. Sac State was able to get on the board mostly as a result of missed tackles and a couple of Aggie turnovers, making the score 19-7. After this brief lapse, it was encouraging to see the Aggies end the game with the momentum on their side, as fullback Danny Nolan took a quick pass from scrumhalf John Parshall for the fourth Davis try of the game. A penalty kick from Howsepian made the final score 27-7. The Aggies rebounded from the disappointing Chico loss, but once again felt like they should have beaten their opponent more convincingly. A huge test approaches as undefeated St. Mary’s comes to Russell Field next Saturday for a matchup that will shape the course of the Davis season. UC Davis Men's Rugby Club 232 Activities and Recreation Center University of California, Davis 95616 Copyright 2006-2007, Julien Howsepian