OUA women's rugby weekend roundup

Photo credit Guelph Athletics / story via www.oua.ca

Toronto Varsity Blues @ McMaster Marauders

The No. 9 McMaster Marauders blanked the unranked University of Toronto Varsity Blues 26-0 on the Back 10 Field this afternoon.

McMaster played a well rounded game, with five players responsible for their points. Rebecca Delaney (Caledon, Ont.) led the Marauders with six points on three conversions. Kirsten Shedden (Barrie, Ont.), Kimberly Ngai (Markham, Ont.), Margaret Cogger-Orr (Thornhill, Ont.) and Natasha Turner (Rockcliffe, Ont.) all scored tries, rounding out the scoring.

Source: Marauder Athletics

York Lions @ Queen's Gaels

Susan Heald of Burlington, Ont. scored 15 points as the No. 10 nationally ranked Queen's Gaels trampled the York Lions 65-13. Heald racked up her 15 points on three tries.

On Sports Day In Canada hosted in Kingston – the Gaels controlled the matchup from the start. Led by Heald, the Gaels took the victory on the strength of a great team effort and many big performances.

Also contributing to the scoring were 2009 CIS All-Canadian Andrea Wadsworth of Toronto (one try, two converts), Ashley Ward of Barrie, Ont.(two tries), Karlye Wong of Ottawa (two tries), 2008 CIS All-Canadian Jocelyn Poirier of Ottawa (two tries), Annika Rinas of Oakville, Ont. (two converts), Rachel Kranenburg of Lucknow, Ont. (one convert), and Amanda Djurickovic of Mississauga, Ont. (one try).

The game extended Queen's winning streak against York as the Gaels have not dropped a game to the Lions in ten seasons. The Gaels will continue their season next week against the No. 8 McMaster Marauders in Hamilton and will look to improve to 3-0 in league play.

The 65 point explosion by Queen's was the most in team history. The last time the Gaels broke 60 points in women's rugby was in 2003 when Queen's blanked Trent 63-0dropped a game to the Lions in ten seasons. The Gaels will continue their season next week against the No. 8 McMaster Marauders in Hamilton and will look to improve to 3-0 in league play.

Source: Gaels Athletics

Brock Badgers @ Laurier Golden Hawks

The Brock Badgers women's rugby team evened their OUA conference record at 1-1 by defeating the Laurier Golden Hawks by the score of 37-0 on the road Friday night. In two games this season, Brock has outscored the Golden Hawks 82-0.

"The girls played well tonight," said head coach Peter Hughes. "We worked on a lot of things during practice this past week and were able to execute them in the game. Each day we continue to improve as a team and will now have a full week to prepare for Waterloo."

Sophomore Misha Maric (Toronto, Ont.) led the way for the Badgers registering a career high 17 points including two tries, two converts and a penalty goal.

Rookie Brittany Holsgrove (Kingston, Ont.) scored her first try as a Badger, while Jenna Clarke (Orillia, Ont.), Erica Hutchison (Stratford, Ont.) and Mariko Reilly (Pickering, Ont.) also added one try each to round out the Badgers scoring.

Source: Badger Athletics

Trent Excalibur @ Guelph Gryphons

In their home opener, the defending OUA champion Gryphon women's rugby team did not disappoint their fans, trouncing the Trent Excalibur 65-0 on Saturday afternoon in Guelph, Ont.

The Gryphons advance to 2-0 on the season. Guelph has held their opponents scoreless thus far this season, outscoring them 90-0 in two games this season.

Guelph pushed the pace early in the game to keep Trent on the hind foot. With the shifty Britt Benn (Napanee, Ont.) starting her new position at #10, the back line sliced through the Trent defense. Katie McNally (Guelph, Ont.) was first on the score board at the two minute mark. Jacey Murphy (Alliston, Ont.) once again showed her attacking prowess with three tries. Caitlin Beaton (Hepworth, Ont.) and Mirela Rahneva (Ottawa) scored two tries apiece and Linsday Peebles (Oakville, Ont.), Brittany Benn and Brittany Sammut (Port Colborne, Ont.) also touched down for one each for a total of 11 tries.

Britt Benn slotted through 10 points in converts. Guelph was tireless in defence and rarely let Trent inside their 22. Morganne Linthwaite (Guelph, Ont.) and Jane Kirby (Brampton, Ont.) were stellar in their tackles.

Source: Gryphons Athletics

Waterloo Warriors @ Western Mustangs

The Warriors travelled to London to take on their division rivals Western Mustangs. The 2009 campaign saw a split; Waterloo taking the regular season meeting in a come-from-behind victory and then suffering a tough three point loss in the playoffs to end their season.

The game opened with the Warriors moving back by tens taking early penalties but they would hold the line several times and threaten to score themselves before winger Savannah Gentile (Oakville, Ont.) was yellow carded with 10 minutes remaining in the half. Waterloo would hold the Mustangs and the half ended in a scoreless tie.

The Warriors came out focused in the second half and the team worked down the field with strong running and play execution by both the forwards and the backs. Return of veteran Anna Kirkey and stellar play by Briana Cunningham (Waterloo, Ont.) would result in scrums that were much improved from last week.

After several stabs at the goal-line by trailing forwards, it would be rookie scrumhalf Erika Schroeder (New Dundee, Ont.) who would sneak through to score the Warriors first points of the season. Abbey Gingerich (Waterloo, Ont.) added a convert to put the Warriors up 7-0.

Waterloo continued to press and scored another try by yet another rookie when after some beautiful text-book team play veteran Caitlin Martin (Teeswater, Ont.) put Val Bigelow (Thornhill, Ont.) away for a try in the corner.

With the Warriors leading 12-0, flyhalf Kristen McAlpine (Markham, Ont.) was able to repeatedly relieve any pressure that Western could muster and Erinne Lee Vargas (Kitchener, Ont.) added some offense contesting for one of McAlpines kicks before off-loading to Emily Sanderson (New Hamburg, Ont.) who transferred the ball wide to Martin to score the final try for the Warriors. Gingerich would add her second convert of the game to give the Warriors a commanding 19-0 lead.

Waterloo demonstrated their solid team defense again today shutting down the Western attack and allowed only one try defeating the Mustangs 19-5.

Source: Warrior Athletics