Kingston, Ont. – The Vikes will claim their best-ever finish at the U SPORTS championships this season, as the University of Victoria women's rugby team defeated the University of Guelph, 21-10, in the quarterfinals, Nov. 10. UVic will advance to a championship semifinal for the first time in program history, and will claim a finish now lower than fourth, besting the program's previous-best fifth place finish.
HOW IT HAPPENED
*to note: U SPORTS quarterfinal matches are played in two, 35-minute halves.
4th Minute – Guelph 5, UVic 0
- The Gryphons struck early, scoring the match-opening try to take the lead.
12th Minute – UVic 7, Guelph 5
- Finding a response, Faith Tilley would touch it down for the Vikes' first try of the match to give the Vikes the lead.
- Alexie Pusch added two points with her first successful conversion of the day.
32nd Minute – UVic 14, Guelph 5
- Stealing a scrum from Guelph, the Vikes would push forward. After being awarded a line out, the UVic would advance to the in-goal area on the strength of the forward pack, allowing Tayler Bailey to touch the ball down for the game-winning try.
- Brooke Bazian sailed the ball through the uprights to add points via conversion.
58th Minute – UVic 14, Guelph 10
- Pushing against the Vikes' defence for 10 minutes, Guelph eventually broke through to touch it down for their second try of the match.
66th Minute – UVic 21, Guelph 10
- Awarded a line-out, the Vikes were able to push forward and then swing the ball, reaching Soleil Brooks in a couple passes, who would take it over the line for the try.
- Pusch added her second conversion to add the final points of the match.
WORTH NOTING
- The win marked the Vikes' first quarterfinal win at the U SPORTS championships in program history.
- UVic picked up their first win over Guelph at the U SPORTS championships, having fallen to the Gryphons 54-10 in 2018 and 33-27 in 2016.
- Pusch's two successful conversions match the most in a single game by a Vike this season, while the three overall conversions are the second-most in a match by the Vikes in 2021.
- Bailey recorded her first try of the season, while Brooks and Tilley each added their second of the postseason.
- The Vikes' defence was on full display against Guelph, continuously forcing the Gryphons into losing ground situations and holding off scoring chances.
UP NEXT
The Vikes will take on the University of Ottawa in the championship semifinal Friday, Nov. 12 at 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. local time).
