The Bow Valley Grizzlies were expecting a tough match against the Saracens, June 7, and they got it.

The Grizz dominated the play early and took a comfortable lead but the Saracens weren't about the wave the white flag. They tested the fortitude of the Grizz in the second half and made it close.

Still, with a 38-28 win, the Grizz remain undefeated in their first five matches of the tier 2 Calgary Rugby Union season.

Head coach Tyler Hawes says the dynamics of the game changed as it progressed and made for a close finish.

"We had a very good 10 minutes but they showed some grit and came back and stuck it to us and definitely made it close," says Hawes.

It was the first meeting of the teams since last year's city finals that the saw the Grizz earn a berth in the provincial final and was the toughest matchup of the season to date.

The previous two games for the Griz were on the road and they came away with a 55-29 win against the Red Deer Titans and dominated the Calgary Rams, 80-0, in the most lopsided game of the season so far. In their home opener, the Grizz also earned a 66-0 shutout against the Calgary Irish.

The team is now off for a few weeks, but the tier 3 Barbarians are here for their Mitford Park home opener next Saturday at noon.

The Babas lost their first match of the season 67-47 against the Rams/Saints team, June 5.