GUELPH, Ont. (October 26, 2013) - The No. 3 Queen's Gaels captured the 2013-14 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Women's Rugby Championship title over the No. 2 Guelph Gryphons by a score of 19-15 at Varsity Field Saturday afternoon in Guelph, Ont.
The Gaels dethroned the five-time OUA Champion Gryphons to earn their first-ever banner and exact revenge after falling to them in last year's championship. Both teams now advance to the CIS Championships hosted by Laval from October 31-November 3.
"We knew that the game was going to be tight one and it certainly was," said head coach
Beth Barz after the championship win. "We started off a little bit under pressure but held up pretty well. The girls reacted really well (to being down early) it was just a matter of getting ourselves together and doing what we needed to do."
The Gryphons started the first half strong, doing well to keep possession of the ball. There were a few drops, but Guelph did well to make sure that Queen's was not able to capitalize on their mistakes. Guelph was the first to put points on the board after a big run by Shannon Spurrell that got the Gryphons up to the try zone. It was Lindsey Yuen getting the try making it 5-0 in the first five minutes of play, after a missed conversion by Guelph.
The Gaels battled back putting together a drive that got them into Gryphon territory. Guelph took back possession, but Queen's quickly regained the ball after a scrum. Queen's pushed the ball into the try zone with their scrum after being held up by the Gryphons on their first attempt. The Gaels
Bronwyn Corrigan (Waterloo, Ont.) jumped on the ball in the try zone making it 7-5 after a successful conversion by Russell Division MVP
Lauren McEwen (Wasaga Beach Ont.). Queen's was able to score another try in the first half by
Kayla Roote (Peterborough, Ont.), putting the Gaels 12-5 at the half.
The Gryphons managed to get back into the game early on in the second half with Megan Lowry coming in with three good plays that put the Gryphons onto the goal line. Devon Keys ran the ball in for the Gryphons making it 12-10 for the Gaels after another missed conversion by Guelph. Later on in the half, a missed penalty kick by the Gaels turned into an opportunity to get a try for Queen's. The scrum was held back twice by the Gryphons, but the Gaels Roote would find her way into the try zone to make it 19-10 after another successful conversion kick by McEwen.
Devon Keys scored a second try for the Gryphons, but after a missed conversion the score finished with the Gaels on top 19-15 for the championship win.
Roote led the offence, scoring ten points with two tries on the day for the Gaels. Corrigan scored the third try for Queen's and McEwen had two conversions giving Queen's 19 points for the day.
