October 15, 2012

W-RUGBY ROUNDUP: Quarter-final playoff results

October 13 – Trent @ Queen’s

Bronwyn Corrigan of Waterloo led the Gaels (7-0) with four tries and four converts to a 62-15 win over Trent in a hard-fought game at Nixon Field. The win moves the Gaels forward into the OUA semifinal, likely against the winner of Sunday's Waterloo-Western quarter-final.

Corrigan put the first points on the board with a try scored off a three yard run. The Gaels stole the ball on the five meter line and continued to spin it wide, giving Corrigan the space to score the first try of the game. Corrigan followed her try with a successful conversion kick.

Rose Sanderson of Norwood, Ont. scored the second try of the game, Sanderson broke through Trent's back line on a fifteen yard run. Corrigan scored another try in the twentieth minute of play, followed by another conversion. Trent in the late minutes of the second half Trent began to fight back, resulting in two consecutive tries scored by Trent's Theresa Carlos and Kaitlin Newton.

Following Trent's two tries, Nadia Popov of Newmarket, Ont. executed a ten yard run resulting in another try for Queen's, Corrigan kicked the conversion, bringing the Gaels to a 31-10 lead at half.

The Gaels started the second half strong, with Popov scoring a try and kicking a successful conversion kick in the early minutes of the half. Caitie Ryan of Kamloops, B.C. scored the next try after Popov spun the ball wide, sending Ryan on an incredible forty-five yard run. Popov kicked her second successful conversion of the game bringing the Gaels to a 45-10 lead.

In the 59th minute, Newton broke through the Gael defense and scored another try for Trent. The Gaels continued to push forwards towards as the game began to come to an end. Kayla Roote of Peterborough, Ont. scored a try for Queen's in the 62nd minute off a fifteen yard run, Roote's try was followed up by Corrigan's fourth try of the game.

After another successful conversion kicked by Bronwyn Corrigan, Jordan Palesch of Surrey, B.C. obtained possession of the ball off of Trent's fumble, Palesch spun the ball wide to Jenna Ledson of Bolton, Ont. who went on a fifteen yard run to bring the Gaels their final try of the game.

Queen's will play in the OUA semi-finals on Saturday, October 20, 2012 at 3:30 p.m. at Nixon Field.

Source: Queen’s Sports Info

Brock @ Guelph

In OUA quarter-final action the Guelph Gryphon women’s rugby team earned a 109-0 win over the visiting Brock Badgers today at Varsity Field.

It was a cold afternoon, but the Guelph Gryphons women's rugby team was on fire shutting out the Badgers for the second time this season.

Brock showed a lot of grit and played hard against the head but attacking power was too much for them to handle. In the first half, the back line showed their speed with Britt Benn (Napanee, Ont.) and Daria Keane (Sarnia, Ont.) each scoring three tries. The forwards then wanted a turn at the score board and showed great continuity. Elizabeth Hunter (Ottawa), Morganne Linthwaite (Guelph, Ont.) and Brittany Kassil (Cambridge, Ont.) all in the tight five showed they not only can win balls in rucks and make the hard yards, but can display some good speed and power through the line. Fullback Caitlin McNally (Guelph, Ont.) rounded off the first half with a try of her own for the 10th try of the half. Stephanie Tibelius (Ottawa) has been extremely consistent this year and put through 11 converts on the day for a total of 22 points.

The second half allowed for a lot of substitutions to be made but that didn't mean that Guelph would let the foot of the throttle. Captain Caitlin Beaton (Clavering, Ont.) had impression hard runs all day and was finally awarded with two tries in the second half. Megan Lowry (Barrie, Ont.) also took four Badgers with her as showed touched down for a try of her own.

The back line seemed untouched as they executed plays to perfection led by veteran Mackenzie Higgs (Aurora, Ont.) and finished again by Benn, Shannon Spurrell (Hayley Station, Ont.), McNally and Elizabeth George (Fenelon Falls, Ont.). Spurrell put through the last convert for the last of the 109 points.

The Gryphons now advance to the semifinals.

Source: Guelph Sports Info

October 14 – York @ McMaster

The McMaster Marauders women's rugby team captured their first playoff win of the season over York. Hosting the match-up, the Marauders came out on top of the OUA quarter-finals, taking down the Lions by a score of 43-14.

It took just ten minutes for the Marauders to score their first try of the match. Rina Charalampis (Hamilton, Ont.) would make a run down the field and deep into York's end. Veteran Claire Lockhart (Waterloo, Ont.) would finish it off for McMaster as she'd touch down for the try to put the Marauders up 5-0.

Ten minutes later McMaster would find themselves in York's end of the field again. It took some time working the ball down to the end line, but Emily Ricketts (Oakville, Ont.), returning for injury, would get the try. Rookie Stephanie Black (Ottawa, Ont.) would connect for the convert.

With ten minutes left in the half, and with McMaster with possession, Ricketts would feed the ball to veteran Hannah Braithwaite (Kingston, Ont.) down the sideline and she would make a break for it, scoring McMaster's third and final try of the half. The Marauders would head into halftime, up 19-0 with Black making another convert.

The first twenty minutes of the second half were spent in McMaster's end of the field with the Lions playing some great offence. Their first try would come from Dorrian Khouri (Markham, Ont.) and Alexis Boltsis (Mississauga, Ont.) would kick for the convert.

Unable to get the ball out of their end, McMaster would concede another try from the Lions from Khouris once again and with Boltsis getting another convert. The score would read 19-14, with York trailing just behind the home team.

After that, the Marauders would step it up within three minutes of York's second try. Rookie Lauren Walkden (Collingwood, Ont.) would touch down for the try. Just four minutes after that, captain Maggie Cogger-Orr (Thornhill, Ont.) would create some great passing plays with Lockhart to put McMaster ahead 29-19.

Before the game was over, McMaster would really take it to the Lions, scoring two more tries, the first from Sarah Berry (East York, Ont.) and the second from Black. Rookie Black would connect on both converts for a final score of 43-14.

McMaster now moves on to the OUA semifinals, to be played next weekend, where they will face a very strong Guelph Gryphons squad.

Source: McMaster Sports Info

Western @ Waterloo

The Waterloo women's rugby team punched their ticket to the OUA semifinals with a convincing 24-7 victory over the visiting Western Mustangs on Saturday afternoon at the CIF fields. Waterloo scored 19 first half points and the defence stood tall throughout for the win.

The Warriors opened the scoring 15 minutes into the game as Nastasha Vrablic (Cambridge, Ont.) ran it in for the try. Only five minutes later Emily Sanderson (New Hamburg, Ont.) added to Waterloo's lead with a nice run down the middle of the field for the try. Vrablic added the conversion kick to give Waterloo the 12-0 lead.

The Warriors continued their offensive pressure and were rewarded by a dazzling run up the near sidelines by Rachel Brown (Cambridge, Ont.). Brown flew by three Mustang defenders for the five points while Vrablic added yet another conversion to give Waterloo the 19-0 lead heading into half time.

The Warriors continued their dominance early on in the second half and padded their lead thanks to a try by Sarah Jane Garland (New Hamburg, Ont.) to put the home side up 24-0.

Western would break the Warrior shutout bid on a try by Danielle Spice and successful convert by Meaghann Buitinga but Waterloo's defence would hold their ground the remainder of the game for the 24-7 win.

The Warriors turn their attention to the Queen's Gaels, a team they have yet to see in 2012, for the OUA semifinals next Saturday, October 20. Game time is scheduled for 3:30pm at Nixon Field in Kingston.