Quebec City, Que. – The eighth-seeded University of Victoria women's rugby team upset the top-seeded University of Ottawa, 30-17, in the U SPORTS Championship quarterfinals, Nov. 1 at Stade Telus - Université Laval.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Though the first two penalty kick attempts narrowly missed, Maggie MacKinnon was successful on her third try from 25 yards out on the right side, putting the first points of the game on the board for the 3-0 Vikes lead in the 16th minute.
• Opting to kick again in the 24th minute, MacKinnon sent the ball through the uprights from 25 yard outs for the 6-0 UVic lead.
• Catching a kick by the Gee-Gees, the Vikes quickly got the ball to Maelle Reed, who worked her way to the right side of the field and escaped the oncoming Ottawa defenders to break away for the first try of the day. With a successful convert by MacKinnon, the Vikes went ahead, 13-0 in the 25th minute.
• Intercepting a bobbled Ottawa catch, Justine Blatt-Janmaat grabbed the ball and ran away with it, touching the ball down between the posts for her first try of the tournament. MacKinnon was successful on the convert attempt for the 20-0 Victoria lead in the 30th minute.
• Adding three more points before the end of the half, MacKinnon nailed the penalty kick from a similar spot as her first two penalty goals for the 23-0 Vikes lead at the half.
• The Gee-Gees struck first in the second half, scoring a try in the 52nd minute to bring the score to 23-5.
• Intercepting Ottawa in the 67th minute, Regan Casey nabbed the ball and got it out to Emily Findlay, who ran it the rest of the way into the end zone for the try. MacKinnon converted to bring the Vikes' lead to 30-5.
• The Gee-Gees added two tries and a convert in the final three minutes of action to finalize the score at 30-17 in favour of the Vikes. 

WORTH NOTING

• With the win, the Vikes are guaranteed a fourth-place or higher finish at the championships, giving Victoria a chance to tie or exceed their best-ever program finish at the national championship of fourth place, set at the 2021 national championships.
• MacKinnon recorded 15 of the Vikes' 30 points on three penalty goals and three converts, earning player of the game accolades.
• Findlay recorded her first try of the year in the win, while Blatt-Janmaat and Reed each recorded their fifth.
• Meeting for the second time at the U SPORTS Championships, the Vikes and Gee-Gees are 1-1 against each other, with Ottawa claiming a 17-14 double overtime win in 2021 and Victoria earning the 30-17 win in 2023. 
• The Vikes improve to 2-1 in the postseason, with an overall record of 5-3.

UP NEXT
The Vikes will face the fifth seed and OUA finalists Guelph in the semifinals Friday, Nov. 5 at 5 p.m. ET.