After not trailing for a second during its regular season schedule, the Grand Canyon University Women's Rugby team suddenly found itself in unfamiliar territory at the worst possible time, playing from behind most of the day as the University of California-Berkeley upset the Lopes, 17-8, in the Round of 8 of the College Rugby Association of America Women's D1 Playoffs Friday afternoon in Tempe. The loss abruptly ended the Lopes' historic season (8-1 overall) as the Bears avenged a loss to the Lopes in the same round of last year's postseason and advanced to Sunday's Final Four match.
 
In a regular season that saw the Lopes score under 50 points just once, to still be scoreless almost midway through the first half Friday was a strange place to be. Nevertheless, despite having a few chances near the goal line to get on the scoreboard, the Lopes were staring at their first 5-0 deficit of the season 17 minutes into the match. After nine straight minutes inside Cal's 22-meter line, the Lopes' Kloe Williams finally dove across the line in the far corner of the zone to tie the match at 5-5. The momentum swing was brief as Cal returned the favor on the ensuing drive, using penalties and two GCU turnovers to attack at the Lopes' goal line before Lorie Martinez's cutback punched in the go-ahead score with 13 minutes remaining in the half. Sustained 20-mile-per-hour winds made things nightmarish all day for the teams' kickers, but Cal's Malina Goldstein's lone two-point conversion extended the GCU deficit to seven.
 
An Anika Long penalty kick right before the intermission brought GCU back within four, but the 12-8 halftime deficit was the closest the Lopes would get the rest of the match. Winds stifled Long's second three-point attempt 15 minutes into the second half, and the Bears took the momentum back for good on Grace Talty's punishing run for the final try of the match with 13 minutes left. The Bears' defense stiffened again, forcing a crucial turnover in the Lopes' final scoring chance with four minutes left to ice the victory.
 
"It was a heartbreaking end to our season – especially for our seniors," said Lopes' Head Coach Lindsey Mahoney. "Despite the outcome, I am so proud of the girls – through both the wins and the losses - and their performances this season. They have shown tremendous growth – on and off the field."
 
The 17 points allowed was nearly half of the 40 points GCU's defense allowed all season – one of the biggest reasons the Lopes finished the 2024-25 campaign with their second straight one-loss season and nearly hit the nine-win mark for the 4^th consecutive season.