Quebec City, Que. - The eighth-seeded University of Victoria women's rugby team punched their ticket to the U SPORTS Championship gold medal match with a 16-0 blanking of fifth seed University of Guelph, 16-0, Nov. 3 at Stade Telus - Université Laval. The championship final appearance will be the first-ever in program history for the Vikes, who's previous best finish was fourth place after appearing in the bronze medal match.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Similar to the quarterfinals, penalty goals put the Vikes on the board first. Maggie MacKinnon nailed a pair of kicks from centre just past the 10-yard line in the fifth and 10th minutes to put the Vikes in front, 6-0.
- Despite Guelph dominating possession for the remainder of the first half, Victoria's defence made no errors and kept the Gryphons scoreless, sending the game into halftime, 6-0.
- A near-30-yard penalty goal by MacKinnon opened the second-half scoring, bringing the score to 9-0 in favour of the Vikes in the 37th minute.
- Being stopped just short of the goal line in the 65th minute, the Vikes quickly got the ball to Emmie Pierce, who got it over the line immediately after for the try. MacKinnon's convert was successful to seal the game for UVic, 16-0.
WORTH NOTING
- The Vikes will post their highest-ever program finish at the U SPORTS Championships with the win, and will play for a national championship title for the first time in program history.
- MacKinnon was responsible for 11 of the Vikes' 16 points, marking her second-straight game accounting for half-or-more of UVic's scoring.
- Larah Wright earned player of the game honours for her high-caliber play during the match, including an almost 60-yard run into Gryphons territory to start the try-scoring sequence for UVic.
- Victoria improves to 6-3 on the year with the win.
UP NEXT
The Vikes face the winner of #2 Queen's versus #6 Laval in the U SPORTS Championship final, Nov. 5 at 3 p.m. ET.
