FINAL CIS championship: Host 'Horns make it back-to-back Monilex Trophies

By University of Lethbridge sports information office

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. (CIS) - The tournament host Lethbridge Pronghorns captured their second Monilex Trophy in two years, and the second in team history, with a 29-15 win over the St. Francis Xavier X-Women in the gold-medal final of the 2008 CIS women's rugby championship, Sunday afternoon.

Championship web site: www.universitysport.ca/e/championships/w_rugby/2008

The Pronghorns became the first repeat champions and the first team to hoist the Monilex Trophy at home since the Alberta Pandas claimed their fifth straight CIS title in Edmonton in 2003.

Lethbridge native Ashley Patzer, a member of the Canadian national team, was named championship MVP after she scored two tries in the final. The 'Horns captain and former CIS player of the year led all players on the weekend with six tries and 34 points.

StFX settled for silver two years after claiming its lone CIS banner in its only previous appearance in the title match.

Both the Pronghorns and the X-Women took to the pitch with sizable cheering sections. The large home crowd seemed to put a charge in the Horns, as Patzer took the ball, made a hard cut to evade a defender and put on the jets to hit the scoreboard less than two minutes in.

St. Francis Xavier charged back, finding the scoreboard four minutes later on a Courtney Malcolm (New Glasgow, NS) penalty kick.

The X-Women maintained their pressure in the first half; despite several missed passes by the Horns, they maintained their composure. The continued pressure by the X-Women culminated in a try when CIS Player of the Year Ghislane Landry (Toronto, ON) attempted a drop goal, and winger Courtenay Malcolm picked up the ball in the end zone. The X-Women went into half time ahead 8-5.

In order to deal with the X-Women pressure, Pronghorns head coach Neil Langevin changed the game plan at half time.

"We made adjustments in the second half and the girls put their heads down, they believed and changed their own fate."

Lethbridge got a lucky break shortly into the second half when St. FX player of the game Kim Armstrong (Barrie, ON) had the ball knocked from her hands at the touch line. However, Armstrong made good moments later by punching through the Horns defense for the try. Malcolm converted the try to make the score 15-5 in favour of the X-Women.

Ten minutes later the tide turned in favour of the Horns. The Horns persistence in the St. FX end paid off with two great team plays that both culminated in tries by freshman Kenzie Ralph (Raymond, AB), knotting up the score at 15.

The Horns never looked back. Patzer gave the Horns the lead after she found a seam in the X-Women defense and accelerated hard into the end zone. CIS Rookie of the Year Brandi Van Eeuwen (Duncan, BC) put the final nail in the X-Women's coffin, scoring a try in the last minute of play. Ashley MacDonald (Mt. Stewart, PEI) successfully converted both tries.

After the game, Langevin said "I'm proud of the girls, they really stuck in there. Full credit to the St. FX team and how well their game plan worked in the first half."

When asked what she thought the turning point of the game was, Patzer added "We realized we weren't playing our game, decided to dig deep, step it up, and play like Pronghorns."

Scoring Summary

Lethbridge
Tries (5 pts): Ashley Patzer (2), Kenzie Ralph (2), Brandi Van Eeuwen
Converts (2 pts): Ashley MacDonald (2)
Penalty goals (3 pts): none
Drop goals (3 pts): none

StFX
Tries (5 pts): Kim Armstrong, Courtnay Malcolm
Converts (2 pts): Courtnay Malcolm
Penalty goals (3 pts): Courtnay Malcolm
Drop goals (3 pts): none


CHAMPIONSHIP HONOURS

Tournament MVP: Ashley Patzer, Lethbridge
R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award: Lethbridge Pronghorns

Tournament All-Stars:

Prop - Brandi Van Eeuwen, Lethbridge
Hooker - Tamara Boiteau, StFX
Prop - Asya Bartley, StFX
Lock - Amanda Richardson, Lethbridge
Lock - Caitlin Beaton, Guelph
Flanker - Ashley MacDonald, Lethbridge
Flanker - Kelly Russell, Western Ontario
8 - Jacey Murphy, Guelph
Scrum Half - Alex Hendricks, Lethbridge
Fly Half - Ghislaine Landry, StFX
Inside Centre - Karen Paquin, Laval
Outside Centre - Chelsea Stone, Alberta
Wing - Brittany Benn, Guelph
Wing - Brittany Orr, Lethbridge
Fullback - Ashley Patzer, Lethbridge





ROUND-ROBIN STANDINGS, SCHEDULE & RESULTS (all times LOCAL: MOUNTAIN)

Pool A (final round-robin standings)
GP W L T PF PA PTS
1. Lethbridge 2 2 0 0 53 3 10
2. Laval 2 1 1 0 26 38 5
3. Western 2 0 2 0 8 46 0

Pool B (final round-robin standings)
GP W L T PF PA PTS
1. StFX 2 1 0 1 17 10 6
2. Guelph 2 1 1 0 20 17 5
3. Alberta 2 0 1 1 10 20 2

NOTE: a win is worth 4 points and a tie 2 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.

Friday, Oct. 31
Round-Robin Pool A: Lethbridge 20, Western Ontario 3
Round-Robin Pool B: Guelph 15, Alberta 5
Round-Robin Pool A: Laval 26, Western Ontario 5
Round-Robin Pool B: StFX 5, Alberta 5
Round-Robin Pool A: Lethbridge 33, Laval 0
Round-Robin Pool B: StFX 12, Guelph 5

Saturday, Nov. 1
Semi-final 1: Lethbridge 39, Guelph 3
Semi-final 2: StFX 36, Laval 5

Sunday, Nov. 2
5th place: Western Ontario 22, Alberta 5
Bronze medal: Guelph 22, Laval 12
Championship final: Lethbridge 29, StFX 15

- CIS