Berkeley co-captain Bulou Mataitoga, seen here during Roy Lucas 7s. /// Photo: Will Mahoney-Watson (see more photos) •
Once the club 7s championship kicks off on Aug. 13, Berkeley will become one of three teams that has competed in every national tournament since its inception in 2011 (San Diego and NOVA are the others). While the club itself boasts good experience at the national championship, this year’s squad, which finished third in the Pacific North Saturday, is relatively untested.
“We’ve got a really young team this year,” explained Berkeley 7s assistant coach Sarah Davis, whose team returns one player from the 2015 national championship. “Our average age last year was over 30; this year it’s closer to 21. We’ve done a lot of growing!”
Berkeley lost the first two NorCal series tournaments to Life West, won the third, and then traveled to Oregon for the Roy Lucas 7s and sampled the Pacific Northwest competition.
“Both ORSU and Seattle are incredibly strong teams,” Davis commended the Pacific Northwest sides that advanced to Saturday’s Pacific North final. “They’ve got a ton of experience, and that’s invaluable on the 7s field. I think our region in general is incredibly strong.”
Berkeley is led by captains Jessica Turner and 22-year-old Bulou Mataitoga, who had a standout year at American International College last season. She was part of the Berkeley team that finished third at 2014 nationals but then missed the 2015 trip due to injury. She earned multiple MVP nods during the varsity 7s season this past spring and continues to shine with Berkeley.
“Another player to watch is Cathy Cai, also 22,” Davis praised the Cal alumna, who made a name for herself at No. 8 during the 15s season. “It’s her first year playing rugby and her first real competitive season, but she’s a beast. She makes huge hits and is impactful all over the field.”
Also watch for Fehi Schaaf, who transferred from the Sacramento Amazons for the summer.
“Her experience and fierce stiff-arm are huge for us,” Davis added.
It took some time for Berkeley to find its form on Saturday. The Pacific North 7s championship started with a 36-0 loss to ORSU, but the All Blues got the win they needed when it mattered: a 19-12 win over Life West in the third-place match.
“Aside from our last game, yesterday was a rough day for the team,” Davis confessed. “A lot of youth, we are trying to figure out how to bring the same level in each game. We have a ton of young talent, it’s just a matter of putting it together. We are hoping to do just that over the next two weeks.”
Cai had a breakout game in that final match against the Gladiatrix. She scored a try, had an assist, and planted several try-saving tackles.
“Our young scrumhalf Miranda Lucara also had a breakout game,” Davis lauded the 20-year-old in the Life West match. “[It] was especially special for her since she was playing against Jessica Lewis, who also played at Cal and has been someone who she looks up to.”
The majority of the players who featured in Saturday’s Pacific North championship will make the trip to Colorado, although there are a handful who were absent and will likely be in the mix come selection time. Berkeley will compete in Pool C with San Diego (Pacific South 1), Austin (Red River 2) and Glendale (Frontier 1). Check out the rest of the national field here.
