W-RUGBY ROUNDUP: Western, York, Guelph earn shutout wins
September 15 – Guelph @ Waterloo
The Waterloo women's rugby team dropped their first contest of the season as they were shutout 47-0 by the stingy Guelph Gryphons on Saturday afternoon at the lower CIF field.
The Warriors were in tough against the defending national champions but showed strong defensive stature in the early going of the game. For Guelph it wasn't the toughest defense they have seen in the early going of the OUA season but eventually wore out the back field of the Warriors.
Guelph held an 18-0 lead at half and took over in the second scoring 29 more points to cruise to their third straight victory of the season. Guelph now sits atop the OUA west standings at 3-0 while Waterloo is in second position with a 2-1 record.
Fifth year centre Britt Benn (Napanee, Ont.) led the Gryphon attack with three tries for 15 points. Another centre Shannon Spurrell (Haley Station, Ont.) added 10 points of her own with a try, convert and penalty goal. Caitlin Beaton (Clavering, Ont.), Brittany Kassil (Cambridge, Ont) and Sharon Rafferty (Brantford, Ont.) each added single tries while Mackenzie Higgs (Aurora, Ont.) rounded out the scoring with two converts and a penalty goal.
The Warriors have a short week before their next action on Friday night at Toronto with a 6pm start time.
Source: Waterloo Sports Info
Toronto @ Queen’s
KINGSTON, Ont. - Nadia Popov (Newmarket, Ont.) led the No. 5-ranked Queen's Gaels with two tries and four conversions in their 67-8 win over U of T in OUA women's rugby action, Saturday. The first-year center had an outstanding game as the Gaels cruised to the win in their third league game.
Popov put the first points on the board with a try in the fourth minute after an incredible 65-yard run. This started a 36 point scoring streak for the Gaels. Natalie Poirier scored the second try in the ninth minute on a 20 yard run, followed by Popov's second try of the game. Also contributing to the scoring in the first half Liz Hobbs of Stittsville, Ont., and Bronwyn Corrigan of Waterloo, Ont., who each scored a try.
U of T attempted to claw their way back into the game in the last few minutes of the first half, with Karla Telidetzki scoring a try in the 36th minute on a 20 yard run after a break down in the Gaels lineup. The score at the end of the first half stood 36-5 for Queen's.
U of T began the second half strong, and seemed to have gained momentum from their try in at the end of the first half. A drop goal by Nicole Baker in the 47th minute brought the score to 36-8. However, this did not faze the Gaels as they went on to score 31 points in the second half, through a combination of tries and successful conversion kicks. Contributing to the scoring in the second half were Caitie Ryan of Kamloops, B.C. (2 tries), Hobbs, Popov and Kayla Roote of Peterborough, Ont. - each of whom scored one try, along with three conversions by Corrigan.
Queen's (3-0) will visit Trent on Friday September 28th.
Source: Queen’s Sports Info
Trent @ McMaster
Hamilton, Ont. - In the McMaster women's rugby team's third game of the season, the Marauders took down the visiting Trent Excalibur 47-7.
Six different Marauders got on the score board in the win. First-year Stephanie Black (Ottawa, Ont.) scored a try and completed all but one convert for the Marauders, totalling for 17 points in the win. Madolyn Vande Pol (East York, Ont.) also came up big in the win with two tries. Marauders Christine Van Beest (Wasaga Beach, Ont.), Alison McFadden (Barrie, Ont.), Hannah Braithwaite (Kingston, Ont.), and Sarah Farquharson (Niagara Falls, Ont.) all scored a try each in contribution to McMaster's second win of the season.
Scoring for the Excalibur was Johanna Shave (Southampton, Ont.) and Celeigh Harris (Lakefield, Ont.) made the convert for a total of seven points.
Next up for McMaster is the No. 5 nationally ranked Queen's Gaels. The Marauders will host the Gaels on September 22 at 2pm on Back Ten Field.
Source: McMaster Sports Info
Western @ Brock
ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – The Brock University women's rugby team (0-3 OUA) were defeated by the Western Mustangs (2-1 OUA) by the score of 35-0 Saturday afternoon at home.
The Badgers had a good effort in the first half as they managed to keep the Mustangs off the board up until the 33rd minute. Arielle Borrice scored the first try of the game and Meaghann Buitinga was successful on the conversion giving Western a 7-0 lead heading into halftime.
It was a much different story in the second half. Western pushed forward quickly breaking away on the field and on the scoreboard.
Eight minutes into the second half the Mustangs Andrea Bowra broke through the Brock defense for the score. Just two minutes later Lori Josephson would put the Mustangs up 19-0 as she registered her first try of the game.
A similar scenario would ensue later in the game, as Borrice and Josephson would score two minutes apart to end the scoring.
The Badgers had a number of good runs but could not muster up the offensive punch they needed to get across the line.
Buitinga was a perfect 5 for 5 on conversions today giving her the league lead with 12. It also vaulted her into third in scoring with 24 points. She trails her teammate Josephson by only one point. The University of Guelph's Britt Benn is on top of the OUA with 45 points.
The Badgers will next face the defending OUA and CIS champions from Guelph who are currently ranked second in the country. This game will take place on September 22 at Brock University at 3pm.
Source: Brock Sports Info
York@ Laurier
The York University Lions women's rugby team scored early and often on its way to its first win of the season, a 55-0 victory over the Laurier Golden Hawks at University Stadium in Waterloo, Ont.
Second-year scrum half Alexis Boltsis of Mississauga, Ont., and third-year fullback Zoe Smith of Toronto led the way for the Lions with 15 points each. Boltsis made good on six conversions and one penalty goal kick, while Smith scored three tries.
Aisan Fazeli of Thornhill, Ont., picked up the Lions' first try of the match less than 10 minutes into the game, and Boltsis picked up five points in the first half between one conversion kick and later, a penalty goal 30 minutes into the half.
Smith added her first try at the end of the first half to give the Lions a 15-0 lead at the break.
York's offence opened up in the second half as the Lions posted 40 points, with two tries apiece for Smith and Tamisha Toussaint of York, Ont. Melissa Cunningham of Thornhill, Ont., and Fedelia Omoghan of Toronto also each contributed a try of their own. Boltsis added 10 more points in conversion kicks.
The win is the first of the season for the Lions, bringing their record to 1-2. The improvement brings the Lions into a competitive third-place tie in the OUA East Division. Their next match is against the Trent Excalibur on Friday (Sept. 21) at 7pm at York Stadium.
Source: York Sports Info
