With notes from Eoin Colquhoun, Pronghorn Athletics and Evan Daum, CW Communications
 
LETHBRIDGE – While both teams suffered heartbreaking close losses in the Canada West semifinals on Friday, the Victoria Vikes put forth a nearly flawless game in the third place game, defeating the host Lethbridge Pronghorns, 51-14. 
 
The Vikes have medalled at the Canada West playoff tournament every season under head coach Brittany Waters. This was the first time they walked away with a bronze and the first since 2014, when Mark Hall was in charge.
 
Two days ago, the Vikes were clipped 21-19 by provincial rival UBC Thunderbirds.
 
Maddy Aberg and Renee Gonzales were difference makers for Victoria, with Gonzales scoring two tries and Aberg was dangerous ball in hand, while kicking two penalties and making five converts in her final 15's game in a Vikes' uniform. 
 
Only three minutes in the Vikes opened the scoring. Following a strong run from Callie Harder deep into the Pronghorns end, Alexie Pusch finished off the play with a try right under the uprights. Aberg made the convert to put Victoria up 7-0.
 
Long field changing runs by Victoria continued to change the field position when the Pronghorns pushed into the Vikes side of the field.
 
Off a Pronghorn penalty, Aberg made a successful penalty kick from 28-yards out in the 18^th minute to put the Vikes up 10-0 early.
 
Mistakes and penalties proved costly for the Pronghorns in the opening half. Off a Pronghorn penalty, the Vikes were able to get the ball outside to Gonzales in the 25^th minute and Gonzales raced in for Victoria's second try of the day and a 15-0 lead.
 
Starting to use the kicking game to attempt to spark the Pronghorns offence, Caitlin Sears put a pair of kicks out wide in an attempt to spring Hailey Driscoll, however, strong tackling including one out of bounds by the Vikes defence halted a Pronghorn surge. 
 
Driving the Pronghorns backwards from 10-yards out, Victoria added to their lead with a second try from Gonzales three minutes shy of halftime and with a convert from Aberg the lead increased to 22 points.
 
In stoppage time, the Pronghorns finally found an answer. A yardage eating run by Genna Wright put the Pronghorns in a prime position to score. Savannah Collison finished of the play to get the Pronghorns on the board and a convert from Caitlin Sears cut the half time deficit to 22-7.
 
The second half started much like the first half with the Vikes back on the offensive. Following a stretch of Vikes pressure, Aberg offloaded the ball to Zoe Goodwin-Sutton for the Vikes fourth try.

Answering right back, Sears kicked the ball near the Vikes goal line and a fortuitous bounce backwards right into the hands Gwen Fillinger for a Pronghorns try in the 49^th minute. Sears made the convert to cut the deficit to 13 points. 
 
A Pronghorn penalty at the 15-yard line led to Aberg pushing the Vikes lead back above two converted tries with her second penalty kick of the afternoon.
 
Only minutes later, the Vikes continued their offensive onslaught, Madison Jumeau finished of the Vikes sequence and with another Aberg convert the Vikes lead bulged to 37-14.
 
Second half substitute Ella O'Reagan touched down another Victoria in the 71^st minute and Paige Farries scored in the 74^thminute, with Aberg making both converts to round out the scoring.
 
After the tournament ended, a few individuals on the Vikes took home some hardware.
 
Goodwin-Sutton won the Student-Athlete Community Service Award.
 
The Ottawa, Ont. native was chosen after spending extensive time volunteering, while also earning an 89 per cent average in software engineering.

Goodwin-Sutton was head coach of the Mount Douglas Secondary girls rugby team this season, leading three practices per week from April to June. She also volunteered as a counsellor at Operation Trackshoes, which is a three-day track meet for people with developmental disabilities.

On campus, Goodwin-Sutton organized the Vikes Blood Drive, where more than 20 student-athletes donated blood last spring, and has also coordinated several other community outreach initiatives for Vikes student-athletes.

On the conference All Star teams, Gonzales was named for the back row position. Joining her were teammates Aberg at centre and Farries in the back three.
 
 
Scoring Summary 
 
LET 7-7-14
VIC 22-29-51
 
First Half
3' VIC Try – Alexie Pusch (convert Maddy Aberg) 7-0
18' VIC Penalty Goal – Maddy Aberg 10-0
24' VIC Try – Renee Gonzales (convert missed) 15-0
37' VIC Try – Renee Gonzales (convert Maddy Aberg) 22-0
40' LET Try – Savanna Collison (convert Caitlin Sears) 22-7
 
Second Half
45' VIC Try – Zoë Goodwin-Sutton (convert missed) 27-7
49' LET Try – Gwen Fillinger (convert Caitlin Sears) 27-14
55' VIC Penalty Goal – Maddy Aberg 30-14
59' VIC Try – Madison Jumeau (convert Maddy Aberg) 37-14
71' VIC Try – Ella O'Reagan (convert Maddy Aberg) 44-14
74' VIC Try – Paige Farries (convert Maddy Aberg) 51-14