49er News Articles

Beach Rugby ambushed by feisty UC San Diego, 36-22

By Jo-Ryan Salazar
CSULB Rugby Webmaster
February 5, 2007

 

The painful look of dejection and frustration could be seen on the players, the coaches, and the fans, save for the reserve players who have seen it all before, warming up for their contest by jogging around the pitch, and the visitors. On a warm, clear February afternoon, the Tritons of UC San Diego avenged last year's defeat to the 49ers with a 36-22 victory at the CSULB Rugby Field.

With the Tritons 0-2 in SCRFU Division I play, it was clear the visitors wanted a breakthrough win, and through speedy ball handling by the backs that stretched and breached the Beach's porous defense, the 49ers were helpless giving up the scoring feast.

In the losing effort, Robert Hughes and Austin Reid scored two tries each, and Hughes added a conversion late in the 2 nd half. Ultimately, the incompetence of the 49er backs, combined with majority knock-on's and calls against them, proved to be too much for the home side to handle.

In the reserve grade match, the Beach received some payback as they lynched the Tritons 46-0.

With the loss, Long Beach State drops to 7-4, 0-1 SCRFU, UC San Diego improves to 1-2 in conference play and 6-5 overall.

The 49ers will be in action next week as they travel south to face the San Diego Toreros on Friday, February 9. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m.

Long Beach State	5	17	22
UC San Diego	22	14	36

SCORING:

1st Half

12' UCSD try, conversion good UCSD 7 - LBSU 0
25' UCSD try, conversion failed UCSD 12 - LBSU 0
30' UCSD try, conversion failed UCSD 17 - LBSU 0
36' LBSU try, Austin Reid, conversion failed UCSD 17 - LBSU 5
39' UCSD try, conversion failed UCSD 22 - LBSU 0

2nd Half

44' LBSU try, Austin Reid (2), conversion failed UCSD 22 - LBSU 10
54' LBSU try, Robert Hughes, conversion failed UCSD 22 - LBSU 15
68' UCSD try, conversion good UCSD 29 - LBSU 15
70' UCSD try, conversion good UCSD 36 - LBSU 15
79' LBSU try, Robert Hughes (2), Robert Hughes conversion UCSD 36 - LBSU 22

RUGBY NOTES:

Update on Sajeev Venkataya: Scrumhalf Sterling “Sajeev” Venkataya, who was injured in last week's match against Sacramento State , suffered a fractured collarbone, but will be out 2-3 weeks.

Wrath of the coaches: Naturally, LBSU assistant coach Kyle Quinn had nothing but scathing remarks to say of the first team's performance after the match. Quinn added that the caliber of rugby the 49ers played was “Division 2-worthy.” Jo-Ryan Salazar, webmaster for the team, grimly agreed.

Last year, UC San Diego was destroyed 40-17 by the Beach, and while the loss was not as brutal as the visitors suffered last year, it was brutal and deplorable nonetheless. By the time the reserves were through saving face for the home side, it was obvious who played more like the real Long Beach State first XV, and it made the Division 2 connotation all the more painful.