Brown Crosses Country to Take Matchup with UCLA

10.10.2026College Men

Tito Edjua contemplates the goalposts for Brown.

Author: Alex Goff

In the first cross-continental matchup of the new Scholars Cup competition created by NCR, Brown defeated UCLA in Los Angeles, getting a massive game from outside center and vice captain Tito Edjua and

Brown were under pressure by their hosts early, but Edjua broke out with a run to midfield that turned the momentum around. UCLA then infringed and suddenly Brown had a lineout just a few meters from the Bruins' line. They mauled it, and hooker Erik Estienne popped off the back and scored the first try of the game.

Edjua converted for a 7-0 lead.

When Brown was offside at midfield UCLA answered with a kick to touch and, after another penalty and lineout, bashed against the line repeatedly. Brown held on, but finally it was too much and center Duncan Hoyland charged over.

Still up 7-5, Brown extended that lead off a scrum. Simple hands out unleashed wing Theo Romero for a try in the corner.

UCLA will rue some little errors in the first half, and they certainly were punished for them. Brown was able to keep up the pressure and they went wide before flanker Benjamin Slatter finished it off for a 17-5 halftime lead.

Brown played with some abandon, but it was smart abandon. Flyhalf Bobby Voth—a transfer from Boston College as he pursues graduate studies at Brown—showed poise and control in running the attack, but more importantly, he was a pass-first pivot. And when he got loose or bad ball, who simply found someone ready to take a pass and keep the attack going.

Edjua sloted a penalty to extend the Brown lead to 20-5, but UCLA then punished a penalty to maul it close before reserve forward Cam McNulty powered over. But Brown answered. A perfect pass from Voth was taken by Edjua, who executed the two-on-one for Romero to charge down the sideline and score.

The Ivy Leaguers added to that when Voth rescued a loose ball and turned that into an attack with a smart pass that resulted in fullback Inigo Langford sidestepping his way through for Brown's 5th try.

UCLA got the last word with a big run from reserve back Redmond Chesley, and then Chesley got the ball back to score.

32-17 Brown. The halfback combination of Charm Tuala and Voth kept Brown moving. Edjua was excellent, and the forwards, led by lock Rowe Stodolnic, powered through.

So we've had two games in this six-match Scholars Cup. Dartmouth beat Notre Dame 48-3 two weeks ago. UCLA is on the road at Notre Dame next week and then at Dartmouth a week later. Brown hosts Notre Dame October 24, and then in November they host Dartmouth in a game that doubles as probably the Liberty Conference decider.

For UCLA, there's work to do. They beat Michigan (a team that was closer than their 52-26 loss to Notre Dame looks) by just two, and then suffered this loss. They haven't had a ton of preparation time, but that's what you get playing 15s heavily in the fall. They have a busy October and November ahead.