QUEBEC CITY (CIS) – The OUA champion Queen's Gaels got all they could handle from tournament host Laval in the first Pool B contest of the CIS women's rugby championship but still managed a 19-17 victory at TELUS-Université Laval Stadium, on Thursday afternoon.
 
It marked the first-ever preliminary round win in three trips to the national tourney for the Gaels, who five days ago captured the first OUA conference title in program history. In its first two CIS tourney appearances, in 2010 and 2012, Queen's had gone 0-2 in pool play before rebounding with a victory in the fifth-place match.
 
Thanks to their win in the Pool B opener, the Gaels (1-0) will enjoy a break on Friday before facing the Canada West champion Alberta Pandas Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
 
The host Rouge et Or (0-1), who finished fourth in the RSEQ this season, take on the Pandas on Friday, also at 1:30 p.m.
 
Gaels head coach Beth Barz talked about a close match-up to open this CIS championship run. "Obviously, it was a close match, which we knew. We talked about that already, we knew it was going to be tight. I think there are a lot of things we didn't do well. However, at the end, when we did need to do something well, we did so."
 
Although his troops lost the game, Laval coach Bill McNeil was pleased with the way his girls played. "Marvellous! It's our best game of the year so far. The result is almost secondary. The girls showed tremendous courage. Nobody across the country would have bet on a game like that against the Ontario champions. Today, the girls did a fantastic match and played until the end."
 
Click here to hear complete comments from both head coaches.
 
Play was very physical in the first half, both teams coming out hard. Laval struck first after crossing the field from their own end. Marie Thibault of Quebec City flattened the ball into the in-goal area in the 11^th minute, and Frédérique Ferland, also of Quebec City, successfully converted to give the home team a 7-0 lead.
 
The Ontario champs replied six minutes later when Bronwyn Corrigan of Waterloo, Ont., crossed the Laval defence to score the try. The conversion from Lauren McEwen of Wasaga Beach, Ont., levelled the game at 7-7.
 
The Rouge et Or then gave to the home crowd a reason to celebrate after wandering around in the Gaels territory for a few minutes. Julie Morin of Arthabaska, Que., completed the work with the try at the 21^st minute to restore a 12-7 Laval lead.
 
A risky decision by the Gaels paid off at the end of the half. With no time left on the clock, they refused a possible penalty kick in favour of a scrum and were able to break the opposition wall to score a try by Miranda Seifert of Regina. The convert from McEwen made it 14-12 at the break.
 
Heavy rain started to fall in the second half but Laval wasn't bothered by the inclement weather and scored a spectacular try in the 42^nd minute. Kathleen Keller of Quebec City first broke a few tackles in the middle to escape and passed the ball to Dominique Laliberté-Martineau, who ran free towards the in-goal zone. Laliberté-Martineau, also a Quebec City product, was stopped at the goal line, but she sent the ball back to Keller who finished the work and it was 17-14 in favour of the host team.
 
As was the case the first time Laval took the lead, the Gaels responded almost immediately. At the 47-minute mark, Bronwyn Corrigan scored her second try of the game to give the OUA champions a 19-17 advantage they would not relinquish.
 
The Rouge et Or spent most of the last 10 minutes in Queen's territory, but failed to add points on the board.
 
Jordyn Rowntree of Stouffville, Ont., was voted player of the game for the winners. Third row player Sarah Boudreau Turpin received the honour for Laval.
 
Official championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/wrugby/index    
 
SCORING SUMMARY
QUE 14-5: 19
LAV 12-5: 17
 
First half
LAV – Marie Thibault try (Frederique Ferland convert) 11^th (QUE 0 – LAV 7)
QUE – Bronwyn Corrigan try (Lauren McEwen convert) 17^th (QUE 7 – LAV 7)
LAV – Julie Morin try 21^th (QUE 7 – LAV 12)
QUE – Miranda Seifert try (Lauren McEwen convert) 35^th (QUE 14 – LAV 12)
 
Second half
LAV – Kathleen Keller try 42^th (QUE 14 – LAV 17)
QUE – Bronwyn Corrigan try 47^th (QUE 19 – LAV 17)
 
Players of the game
QUE: Jordyn Rowntree (Stouffville, Ont.)
LAV: Sarah Boudreau Turpin (Quebec City, Que.)
 
Legend:
Try: 5 points
Penalty goal: 3 points
Convert: 2 points
 
POOL STANDINGS, SCHEDULE & RESULTS
 
Pool A preliminary round
                        GP       W        L          T          PF        PA       PTS
1. Guelph         1          1          0          0          37        12        5
2. McGill         0          0          0          0          0          0          0
3. StFX                        1          0          1          0          12        37        0
 
 
Pool B preliminary round
                        GP       W        L          T          PF        PA       PTS
1. Queen's       1          1          0          0          19        17        4         
2. Alberta         0          0          0          0          0          0          0
3. Laval           1          0          1          0          17        19        1
 
NOTE 1: 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.
NOTE 3: 1 bonus point is awarded for a loss by 7 points or less.
 

Thursday, Oct. 31

10:30 Pool A: Guelph 37, StFX 12
13:30 Pool B: Queen's 19, Laval 17
 

Friday, Nov. 1

10:30 Pool A: StFX vs. McGill (CIS-SIC.tv)
13:30 Pool B: Laval vs. Alberta (CIS-SIC.tv)
 

Saturday, Nov. 2

10:30 Pool A: Guelph vs. McGill (CIS-SIC.tv)
13:30 Pool B: Queen's vs. Alberta (CIS-SIC.tv)
 

Sunday, Nov. 3

10:00 Fifth place: 3^rd Pool A vs. 3^rd Pool B (CIS-SIC.tv)
12:00 Bronze medal: 2^nd Pool A vs. 2^nd Pool B (CIS-SIC.tv)
14:00 Championship final: 1^st Pool A vs. 1^st Pool B (CIS-SIC.tv)
 
Note: All games will be played at TELUS-UL Stadium except those on Saturday, Nov. 2, which will be played on Field #11 behind Louis-Jacques-Casault Hall (on campus).