KINGSTON, Ont. (Sept 2, 2019) - The Queen's women's rugby team opened their 2019 season with a dominant 135-0 victory over the Western Mustangs at Nixon Field on Monday afternoon.
Game Flow
The Gaels started on the attack as McKinley Hunt opened the match with a try after a series of rucks to give Queen's a 5-0 lead. In the 8th minute, Sophie de Goede scored a try of her own adding to the early lead. Taylor Black who led all players with five tries in the match, scored her first of the contest, running 20 meters to score for the Gaels.
Two minutes later, Black broke free again for another try as the Gaels led 22-0 after 15 minutes. Lizzie Gibson got on the board in the 17th minute, receiving a pass from Hannah Daniels and sprinted for the try. Gaels first-year winger Carmen Izyk followed up with two consecutive tries to give the Gaels a 43-0 lead.
Gibson scored her second try of the match in the 27th minute, as Kara Gani made a long run and passed to Gibson for the score.
Rachel Hickson evaded defenders to score her first of three tries in the match. Black closed out the first half with three consecutive tries to push the Gaels lead to 80-0 at halftime.
The match slowed down in the second half. The Tricolour were strong on defence throughout the match preventing Western from gaining any momentum as the Mustangs failed to earn a try in the match. Sophie de Goede scored her lone try of the match to open the first half. The 2018 OUA MVP de Goede scored 10 conversions for the game.
Maddie Kushner, Kianna Kozak, and Hickson closed out the second half strong for the Gaels. Kushner scored two tries and added six conversions, while Hickson and Kozak both added two tries to lead the Gaels to a 135-0 victory.
HIGH SCORING AFFAIR
BY THE NUMBERS
0 - Points scored by Western in the match.
5 - Tries scored by Taylor Black, all came in the first half.
10 - Conversions for de Goede in the match, she had three total last season.
11 - Eleven different Gaels scored points for Queen's in the match.
135 - Points for Queen's, the most scored in team history topping 109 against Trent in 2017.
FINAL SAY
"Outcomes like this are the result of individual efforts and I was really pleased with the way we were able to build pressure through phases and score within the confines of our shape," said head coach Dan Valley on the victory.
UP NEXT
The Gaels return to action this Sunday, September 7th as they host the McMaster Marauders with start time set for 1pm at Nixon Field.
