The Mustangs again got off to a slow start and St. Mary’s took full advantage by handing the Mustangs a 57-17 loss despite a much stronger second half by Cal Poly.
Cal Poly began with strong go forward and physical play right from kick-off. However, ball retention in breakdowns and open field turnovers plagued Cal Poly throughout the match. The Gaels took full advantage of these mistakes with their fluid hands and ability to swing the ball quickly immediately after a turnover.
It seemed to take until the second forty for the Mustangs much changed lineup to get their feet under them, the Gaels held a one sided halftime lead of 30-0.
However, Cal Poly came out of the gates fast after the break and pounded in three physical tries, shifting the momentum of the match and giving the home crowd something to get excited about. The first Mustang try was by senior eight-man Eddie Varea and the next two by super senior prop Kris ‘Osty’ Osterloh.
The Gaels responded to the Mustang rally well and regained composure for the last stretch of the match, sneaking in two late tries to decisively put away Cal Poly.
The Mustangs will have two weeks to prepare for their next match and look to turn around the current three game losing streak against the UC Davis Aggies on Saturday, April 15th.