It was a beautiful day for rugby! There was blue sky with just enough cloud coverage to keep the ruggers cool during their first match of the season. Andrea Mota showed UCLA just what it means to be a Triton, bringing full energy right from the start. After making the first tackle with a solid hit, she also scored the first try! The second try came from way behind the 50. It seems like all those broncos really paid off because Sara Tsai left everyone panting in the dust. 

The scrums continued to be powerful thanks to the Triton’s forwards, but their backs took the ball and got creative with some beautiful passes allowing Darya Massih to score the third try for UCSD from the wing. Mia saw the kicking vision and booted a tasty grubber. Everybody’s seen Sofia Valenzuela practicing getting under the ball. So, when the Bruins kicked off and sent the ball up, Vale was right underneath to catch it.

Before the first half even ended, the Tritons scored two more tries. Forwards captain Chantal Earl showed relentlessness and powered into the try zone; backs captain Mia Taylor followed using quick thinking to break the Bruins’ defensive line and score a try. Stella Dorsey stepped up as her first season being a kicker and made 3 great conversions adding points to the board. 

The Tritons kept up the energy during the second half ending with a victory. A final score of 31-10 reflects the hard work UCSD Women’s rugby does on and off the pitch, with Andrea Mota receiving MVP for her incredible work rate and unrelenting tackles. Stay tuned for a highly anticipated home match next week when the Tritons take on Arizona State.