Calgary, Alta. – Returning to the gold medal game for the first time since the 2018 season, the University of Victoria women's rugby program will play for the Canada West conference title after defeating the University of Lethbridge, 36-7, in the semifinals at McMahon Stadium, Oct. 28.
HOW IT HAPPENED
5th Minute - UVic 5, LET 0
- Faith Tilley punched through the Pronghorns' defence and stretched across the line to open the scoring.
25th Minute - UVic 10, LET 0
- A man-up from a yellow card being issued to Lethbridge, the Vikes capitalized on the extra space on the field to swing the ball wide and put Shalaya Valenzuela in the corner for a try.
33rd Minute - UVic 17, LET 0
- Summer Blackmore intercepted a pass on the Pronghorns 22-meter line, and with no one back to stop her, turned defence into offence with the try result.
- Alexie Pusch was successful on the conversion for the Vikes' first of the match.
43rd Minute - UVic 22, LET 0
- Opening the second-half scoring, the Vikes brought the ball back in on a line-out, then finding Brittany Gardiner, who dove over the line with the ball for her first try of match.
58th Minute – UVic 22, LET 7
- Lethbridge put a score on the board against the Vikes for the first time this season, scoring both the try and conversion to end their scoreless streak.
65th Minute – UVic 29, LET 7
- Beginning with a long run down the left side from Krista Scurfield, the Vikes ran a quick couple plays resulting in Soleil Brooks touching the ball down for a try.
- Kira Peary was successful on her conversion attempt to add two points to the Vikes' lead.
75th Minute – UVic 36, LET 7
- Larah Wright broke away from the Lethbridge defenders, breaking sparse tackle attempts from the Pronghorns along the way for her first try of the match.
- Peary made her second-straight conversion, sending the ball through the middle of the uprights for the extra two points.
WORTH NOTING
- The win for the Vikes secured their bid to the 2021 U SPORTS Rugby Championship, set to take place Nov. 10-14 in Kingston, Ont.
- The Vikes are now 2-0 against Lethbridge this season, allowing just seven points to the Pronghorns. Overall, UVic outscored Lethbridge 65-7 in their two meetings.
- Tilley, Gardiner and Brooks all recorded their first tries of the season in the match.
- Continuing to display their balanced offence, all six of the Vikes' tries were scored by different members of the team. The occasion marked the second time this season the Vikes have scored six-or-more tries all scored by different players in a single match.
- Entering the weekend ranked No. 8 in the nation by U SPORTS, the Vikes will take on either the No. 3-ranked UBC Thunderbirds or No. 10-ranked Calgary Dinos for the conference crown.
UP NEXT
The Vikes will compete for the Canada West title Sunday, Oct. 31 at 12 p.m. PT at McMahon Stadium. UVic will face the winner of the UBC vs. Calgary match this afternoon.
