Kingston, Ont. - Bringing home the program's highest-ever finish at the U SPORTS national championships, the University of Victoria women's rugby team fell to Laval University, 32-26, in the bronze medal match to wrap up the 15s season and take fourth in the nation, Nov. 14.

HOW IT HAPPENED
5th Minute – UVic 7, Laval 0

• Summer Blackmore got off the line quickly, intercepting the pass by the Rouge et Or and taking off down the field with no one in sight to touch it down for the game-opening try.
• Alexie Pusch put the ball through the uprights for the two points on the convert. 

9th Minute – UVic 7, Laval 7

• A quick response from Laval would pull the game even. 

15th Minute – UVic 12, Laval 7

• A forward drive by the UVic pack paved the way for Chanelle Edwards-Challenger to touch it down for the try.

22nd Minute – UVic 12, Laval 12

• The Rouge et Or broke away from the Vikes' defence to tie the game with a try. 

33rd Minute – Laval 19, UVic 12

• Laval would take their first lead of the game with a successful try and conversion.

35th Minute – Laval 19, UVic 15

• Pusch's first penalty goal of the day pulled the Vikes back within four.

41st Minute – Laval 22, UVic 15

• The Rouge et Or would respond with a penalty goal of their own to take the seven-point lead going in to the halftime break. 

48th Minute – Laval 25, UVic 15

• Laval would open the second-half scoring with a penalty goal. 

55th Minute – Laval 25, UVic 18

• Three points on a penalty goal from Pusch narrowed the score deficit to seven.

64th Minute – Laval 25, UVic 21

• Pusch made her third penalty goal of the match to bring the Vikes back within four.

68th Minute – Laval 32, UVic 21

• Laval would use their next possession to extend their lead with a try and conversion. 

71st Minute – Laval 32, UVic 26

• Krista Scurfield would score the final try for the Vikes, breaking away down the left side, powering through attempted tackles from Laval. 

WORTH NOTING

• Following the match, Victoria was presented with the R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award, a recognition bestowed annually to the team or player that best exhibits the standards of fair play throughout the U SPORTS championship tournament. 
• The Vikes leave the U SPORTS championships with a fourth-place finish, the highest finish at the national championships in program history.
• Pusch went three-for-three on penalty goal attempts for the second-straight match.  Her 24 points over the tournament led all UVic players.
• Displaying a balanced offensive effort, no Vike scored more than one try during the tournament.

UP NEXT
While today's match concluded the 15s season, the Vikes will start their 7s season in the spring of 2022.