EDMONTON – The two-time defending Canada West champions picked up right where they left off and sit tied with the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds with matching 3-0 records after Day 1 of the first leg of the Canada West women's rugby 7s tournament at Foote Field.
The Vikes got rolling with a 21-0 blanking of the fresh-faced Trinity Western University Spartan squad.
Two All-Canadians paced the Vikes with one try each in the first half –
Maddy Aberg initially, followed by
Paige Farries. For good measure,
Ashah Payson added a try in the second half.
Nicola Smith completed a pair of converts and
Alexie Pusch sailed her convert clean through the uprights in the second half.
Battling the host University of Alberta Pandas in the second bout of the afternoon, the Vikes bounced back after coughing up an early lead to ice the Pandas 22-10.
Payson and Smith staked the Vikes to a 10-5 lead at half, as both converts were missed.
Farries delivered the game-winning try in the second half, while
Brooke Bazian put the Pandas out of reach by completing the only convert of the game following a
Renee Gonzalez try.
In the Vikes toughest game of the day, they had to battle back once again from a first-half deficit to an Albertan team. Their championship pedigree was on display, as the Vikes seized control in the second half and overpowered the University of Calgary Dinos 24-14.
Smith punched in her second try of the day and
Maelle Reed notched another before half, but after two missed converts, the Dinos led 14-12 at the break.
From that point, it was all Vikes, as Pusch and Aberg teamed up for one try each to put a cap on a busy opening day.
The Vikes are set to battle the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns in the first semifinal tomorrow morning, 9:34 a.m. (PDT). UBC will tangle with the Pandas in the other semi.
Game 1: Victoria Vikes (21) vs. Trinity Western Spartans (0)
Scoring summary:
|
1 |
2 |
T |
| VIC: |
14 |
7 |
21 |
| TWU: |
0 |
0 |
0 |
VIC try - #12
Maddy Aberg - (#11
Nicola Smith convert) 7-0 VIC
VIC try - #13
Paige Farries - (#11
Nicola Smith convert) 14-0 VIC
HALF
VIC try - #6
Ashah Payson - (#5
Alexie Pusch convert) 21-0 VIC
Game 2: Alberta Pandas (10) vs. Victoria Vikes (22)
Scoring summary:
|
1 |
2 |
T |
| ALB: |
5 |
5 |
10 |
| VIC: |
10 |
12 |
22 |
ALB try - #13 Emily Brown - (convert missed) 5-0 ALB
VIC try - #6
Ashah Payson - (convert missed) 5-5
VIC try - #11
Nicola Smith - (convert missed) 10-5 VIC
HALF
VIC try - #13
Paige Farries - (convert missed) 15-5 VIC
ALB try - #12 Cassie Jorgenson - (convert missed) 15-10 VIC
VIC try - #2
Renee Gonzalez - (#8
Brooke Bazian) 22-10 VIC
Game 3: Victoria Vikes (24) vs Calgary Dinos (14)
Scoring summary:
|
1 |
2 |
T |
| VIC: |
12 |
12 |
24 |
| CGY: |
14 |
0 |
14 |
VIC try - #11
Nicola Smith (convert missed) 5-0 VIC
CGY try - #9 Angie Olukunmi (#15 Berlyn Seselja convert) 7-5 CGY
CGY try - #13 Laura Petrillo (#15 Berlyn Seselja convert) 14-5 CGY
VIC try - #7
Maelle Reed (convert missed) 14-12 CGY
HALF
VIC try - #5
Alexie Pusch(convert missed) 17-14 VIC
VIC try - #12 Madison Aberg (#8
Brooke Bazian) 22-10 VIC
