Photos: Jackie Finlan
Fresno State is the DII West Coast conference champion, defeating Santa Clara University 64-31 at Cal Maritime Academy Saturday. The Bulldogs receive an automatic berth to the DII spring regional championships, which occur April 8-9 at four to-be-disclosed locations.
RELATED: More Fresno State vs. Santa Clara Photos • DII College Spring Ranking • Women’s Rugby Results: March 9-12
Fresno State won the DIII conference title last year, and then the West Coast reconsolidated as an all-DII competition in 2016-17.
“Our eye is on the national championship. We’re going big. We’re in it all the way,” said Fresno State flyhalf Jenna Balestra, the championship MVP, and Canterbury College Player of the Week. “After our first game [this season], we saw – between every player on the field – that we could make it there.”
Fresno State has its share of newcomers but benefitted from a big class of returning starters. The focus heading into this season was fitness, and those dividends were seen in concentrated bursts of scoring that stifled Santa Clara’s comebacks in the final.
“This season they were probably our hardest competition,” Balestra said of Santa Clara. “They had a lot of strong, key players and wore us out. They had a great team dynamic and ball movement, and were definitely competition for us.”
Three minutes into the final, Balestra made the first of several big line-breaks to set up captain Moriah Halteman for the first of her two tries. Fullback Cady Riley kicked the first of her seven conversions.
An attacking flyhalf, Balestra was difficult to take down, broke the line often, and scored five tries. But she was also key on defense in a game that saw a lot of missed tackles on either side of the ball. Halteman, however, was the best tackler on the pitch. Countless times, the scrumhalf came flying into view for a smacking tackle that elicited crowd applause.
It’s one reason that Balestra attempted to give her MVP trophy to Halteman during the award ceremony.
“She deserves it. We couldn’t do this without her,” Balestra said. “She carries the team on her back. She wouldn’t take [the trophy], but she deserves it.”
The first 30 minutes was very competitive. Santa Clara outside center Michelle Coleman – the team’s most wily offensive threat – scored after the hard-charging Rachel Schneider shot past an up-fast defensive. Prop Mariela Murillo – who was arguably the toughest north-south ballcarrier to stifle – converted for the tie.
Balestra and Halteman then scored – the latter was set up by a perfectly timed pass from No. 8 Megan Walls on a weakside pick – and Fresno State led 17-5. But then in the final 10 minutes of the half in rather quick succession, the Bulldogs sent Balestra, inside center Raquel Macias and wing Jasmine Roberson into the try zone for a 36-7 halftime lead.
Santa Clara needed a massive response in the second half, and the team answered. Penalties helped Santa Clara hold onto the ball longer, and excellent lineouts – especially from jumper Paula Back, who was fantastic in the air – afforded more possession. Schneider and lock Carley Fowler scored, and the unrelenting Murillo added a two-pointer for a 36-19 scoreline.
Although Santa Clara showed great spirit, the team was subject to periods of vulnerability, and Fresno State used those blocks of time to run in tries in quick succession. Roberson and Balestra (2) scored through some porous defense, essentially putting the game out of reach, 57-19, with 15 minutes remaining.
That said, Santa Clara never stopped pushing. Schneider and Fowler scored again (57-31), before Balestra ended the game with an intercept try, 64-31.
“It was just a bunch of camaraderie – trust the team, trust each other,” Balestra reflected on the success.
USA Rugby has not released details about the DII spring championship, but Fresno State will compete in the spring Round of 16 and quarterfinals on April 8-9. The victors advance to the spring championship semifinals on April 22-23, and the spring champion will play fall champion Davenport University for the national championship May 5-7 in Marietta, Ga.
FresnoState SantaClara WestCoastRugbyConference PlayeroftheWeek