GAME 2 Pool A CIS championship: Stingers win big, eliminate Queen’s

By Trent University sports information / Photo credit Peterborough Image Works

PETERBOROUGH, Ont. (CIS) – The Concordia Stingers scored an impressive 32-3 win over Queen’s in their first Pool A matchup at the CIS women’s rugby championship at Trent University, Friday morning, eliminating the Gaels from medal contention in the process.
 
OUA finalist Queen’s, which dropped its tournament opener 15-12 in overtime to three-time defending champion Lethbridge on Thursday, finishes last in Pool A and will play for fifth place on Sunday.
 
The Quebec champion Stingers face Lethbridge Saturday at 11 a.m. for a spot in the national final.
 
All-Canadian centre Jackie Tittley of Kirkland, Que., led the way for Concordia against Queen’s with 12 points. The Quebec conference MVP had three converts and a pair of penalty goals in the win. 
 
Freshman Cara Stuckey, a flanker from St. Chrysostome, Que., tallied 10 points on two tries, while fly half Erika Hamilton of Ormstown, Que., and rookie scrum half Jessie Lapointe of Truro, N.S., added one try apiece.
 
Queen’s opened the scoring at the 13-minute mark on a penalty goal by Annika Rinas of Oakville, Ont., but it was all Concordia after that point.
 
In gently falling snow, both teams struggled early to handle the ball. A number of knock-ons by the two sides slowed the play as promising runs ended in repeated turnovers.
 
The large Concordia pack worked at keeping control of the ball, repeatedly driving off the base of rucks and driving mauls off their line-outs. Stuckey drove the ball in from a five-metre scrum for the Stingers’ first score at the 22-minute mark and Tittley kicked her first of three converts on a long kick from near the sideline. 
 
Hamilton broke through the Queen’s centres eight minutes later to score under the posts and Tittley added another convert. Tittley then added a penalty goal kick from 35 metres out to make it 17-3 going into the halftime break.
 
Concordia opened play up a bit in the second half using kicks to gain territory and put the Queen’s defence under pressure. After a Queen’s error on a 22-meter drop out, Concordia pressure led to a penalty under the post which Tittley converted for three points.
 
Desperation to get back into the game led Queen’s to take off-side penalties, resulting in Kayla Roote of Peterborough and Jocelyn Poirier of Ottawa being yellow carded on separate occasions.
 
Concordia took advantage by continuing to combine series of rucks and to drive mauls at every opportunity.
 
Lapointe touched the ball down off a driven maul for a try which Tittley converted with five minutes remaining. Stuckey wrapped up the scoring with a try from a five-meter scrum.
 
Concordia head coach Graeme McGravie, named CIS coach of the year on Wednesday, expressed his satisfaction with the way his team played after a shaky first 10 to 15 minutes and said that he is looking forward to Saturday’s match against Lethbridge.
 
Beth Barz of Queen’s stated that although her team started well, it was obvious that the tough game they had played the day before against Lethbridge took its toll when they came up against the well-rested Stingers.
 
SCORING SUMMARY

CON: 17-15: 32
QNS: 3-0: 3
 
First half
1. QNS: Annika Rinas (3)
2. CON: Cara Stuckey (5), Jackie Tittley (2)
3. CON: Erika Hamilton (5), Jackie Tittley (2)
4. CON: Jackie Tittley (3) 
 
Second half
5. CON: Jackie Tittley (3)
6. CON: Jessie Lapointe (5), Jackie Tittley (2)
7. CON: Cara Stuckey (5)   
 
Players of the game
QNS: Ash Ward (Barrie, Ont.)
CON: Cara Stuckey (St. Chrysostome, Que.)
 
Legend:
(5) Try: 5 points
(3) Penalty goal: 3 points
(2) Convert: 2 points 
 
POOL STANDINGS, SCHEDULE & RESULTS
 
Pool A (after 2 of 3 games)
                        GP       W        L          PF        PA       PTS
1. Concordia    1          1          0          32        3          5
2. Lethbridge   1          1          0          15        12        4
3. Queen’s       2          0          2          15        47        1
 
Pool B (after 1 of 3 games)
                        GP       W        L          PF        PA       PTS
1. StFX                        1          1          0          37        0          5         
2. Guelph         0          0          0          0          0          0
3. Trent                        1          0          1          0          37        0         
 
NOTE: A win is worth 4 points.
NOTE 2: 1 bonus point is awarded for scoring 4 tries or more in a game, and 1 bonus point is allowed for a loss by 7 points or less.
 
Thursday, Nov. 4
11:00 Round-Robin Pool A: Lethbridge 15, Queen’s 12 (OT)
13:30 Round-Robin Pool B: StFX 37, Trent 0
 
Friday, Nov. 5
11:00 Round-Robin Pool A: Concordia 32, Queen’s 3
13:30 Round-Robin Pool B: Trent vs. Guelph (SSN Canada webcast)
 
Saturday, Nov. 6
11:00 Round-Robin Pool A: Lethbridge vs. Concordia (SSN Canada webcast)
13:30 Round-Robin Pool B: StFX vs. Guelph (SSN Canada webcast)
 
Sunday, Nov. 7
10:00 5th place: Queen’s vs. third place Pool B (SSN Canada webcast)
12:00 Bronze medal: Second place Pool A vs. second place Pool B (SSN Canada webcast)
14:00 Championship final: First place Pool A vs. first place Pool B (SSN Canada webcast)
 
 
-CIS-