GRYPHONS TAKE SILVER AT CIS TOURNEY
The X-Women, nine-time Atlantic conference champions in as many years of competition, became the first Maritimes team to claim the CIS women's rugby banner. The victory also marked the first CIS title in women's sports in StFX history.
\"It's an absolute breakthrough moment for women's sports at StFX,\" said athletic director Leo MacPherson. \"Some teams in sport have a sense of entitlement. It's anything but with this class group of players, they're one of the easiest teams on campus to cheer for. I'm so proud of (head coach) Mike Cavanagh and the girls. They really made us proud.\"
The win was sweet retribution the X-Women and eight-year head coach Cavanagh, who lost for the first time all season on Friday dropping a round-robin match 15-3 to Guelph.
\"The girls showed a lot of heart all weekend and at the end of the day we were rewarded,\" said Atkinson, who was in his final game as head coach and will turn the team over to current assistant and national team player Colette McAuley. \"I was very worried near the end when the Gryphons were pressing, but we held onto the win.\"
Guelph head coach Jim Atkinson had a lot of praise for the Atlantic Canada champions.
\"They're a great program with a lot of talent from outside their area, they recruit well,\" he said. \"I really feel like the StFX program deserves this victory. They've had a good program and have had to learn to play at this level at nationals and not in their own league. This year, the competition in their region improved a bit, you can really see the progress.\"
The X-Women, 63-3-1 in AUS play since 1998, entered the weekend with a 6-20-1 lifetime record at the CIS tournament.
Atkinson was happy with his team?s effort and performance, noting the squad never quit.
\"The game just flowed back and forth, a lucky bounce one way or the other was going to be the difference,\" he said. \"It certainly was a nail-biter, there was a great advantage to be the first team to put points on the board.\"
Guelph settles for silver at the nationals for the second time, after losing in the final to Alberta in 1999. The Gryphons claimed the inaugural Monilex Trophy in 1998.
Over 500 fans witnessed the historical game, many StFX Alumni with thunder sticks, X-Women signs and blue \"Go X Go\" T-shirts. They had plenty to cheer about in the first half.
StFX opened the scoring with a great drive, pinning the Guelph defence along their own goal line for over five minutes until Armstrong of Barrie, Ont. capitalized with the try. Birks of Unionville, Ont. added the convert, and the X-Women led at the half 7-0.
In the second period, Guelph pushed hard and after being stymied on several opportunities, finally scored late in the second half after the Gryphons front line aided Sam Mitchell, a fifth-year flanker from Pickering, Ont. to sneak in for a try. The potential game-tying convert attempt by Michelle Gauer (Oakville, Ont.) was on a difficult angle, and with the wind swirling she failed to split the uprights.
Birks kicked a penalty goal from 20 yards out on an angle in the final three minutes to lengthen the lead to 10-5 and with Guelph pressing late, the X-Women defence held strong for the victory.
\"We'll take a 10-5 victory over this team any day,\" Cavanagh added. \"We had the confidence in ourselves. It's a war of who can last the longest, and we pulled through.\"
Atkinson lost depth when starting centre Megan Seiling (Elmira, Ont.) left with an injury.
\"We had tremendous depth all weekend, but losing players early hurt us,\" he said.
CIS rookie of the year Ghislaine Landry (Toronto), one of four X-Women named to the championship all-star team, was held off the scoresheet by Guelph for the second this weekend.
Five Gryphons were named to the tournament dream squad, including championship MVP Michelle Joslin, a second-year prop from Waterloo, Ont.
Western will host the CIS women's rugby championship again in November of 2007.
Final Standings
1. St. Francis Xavier X-Women
2. Guelph Gryphons
3. Lethbridge Pronghorns
4. Western Mustangs
5. Waterloo Warriors
6. Laval Rouge et Or
Tournament All-Stars
MVP: Michelle Joslin, Guelph - 2nd Year, Waterloo, Ont.
Prop Michelle Joslin (Guelph) - 2nd year, Waterloo, Ont.
Hooker Regina McKenzie (Lethbridge) - 2nd Year, Calgary, Alta.
Prop Catherine Wilson (Guelph) - 1st year, Metcalfe, Ont.
Lock Michelle Gauer (Guelph) - 2nd year, Oakville, Ont.
Lock Laura Foreman (St. Francis Xavier) - 2nd Year, Langley, B.C.
Flanker Diane Kelly (Waterloo) - 4th Year, Ripley, Ont.
Flanker Kelly Russell (Western) - 2nd Year, Bolton, Ont.
8-man Ashley Ward (St. Francis Xavier) - 4th Year, Barrie, Ont.
Scrum Half Kirsten Sample (St. Francis Xavier) - 4th Year, Barrie, Ont.
Fly Half Meaghan Howat (Guelph) - 4th year, Toronto, Ont.
Wing Andrea Letal (Lethbridge) - 2nd Year, Calgary
Centre/Fly Half Lynsie McDonald (Western) - 5th Year, Olds, Alta.
Centre Shannon Kane (Guelph) - 4th year, Ottawa, Ont.
Wing Ghislaine Landry (St. Francis Xavier) - 1st Year, Toronto, Ont.
Full Back Ashley Patzer (Lethbridge) - 2nd Year, Lethbridge, Alta.
FINAL ROUND-ROBIN STANDINGS / SCHEDULE & RESULTS (all times LOCAL)
Group A
GP W L T PF PA PTS
1. Guelph 2 2 0 0 40 3 9
2. StFX 2 1 1 0 48 15 5
3. Waterloo 2 0 2 0 0 70 0
Group B
GP W L T PF PA PTS
1. Western 2 2 0 0 68 5 9
2. Lethbridge 2 1 1 0 29 20 5
3. Laval 2 0 2 0 5 77 0
NOTE: a win is worth 4 points and a tie 2 points.
NOTE 2: 1 bonus point is awarded for scoring 4 tries or more in a game, and 1 bonus point is allowed for a loss by 7 points or less.
Friday, Nov. 3
Round-robin Group A: Guelph 25, Waterloo 0
Round-robin Group B: Western Ontario 15, Lethbridge 5
Round-robin Group A: StFX 45, Waterloo 0
Round-robin Group B: Western Ontario 53, Laval 0
Round-robin Group A: Guelph 15, StFX 3
Round-robin Group B: Lethbridge 25, Laval 5
Saturday, Nov. 4
Semi-final #1: Guelph 27, Lethbridge 5
Semi-final #2: StFX 13, Western Ontario 5
5th place: Waterloo 22, Laval 12
Sunday, Nov. 5
Bronze medal: Lethbridge 17, Western Ontario 15
Championship final: StFX 10, Guelph 5
- CIS -
(Source: CIS Communications.)
(Photo by Geoff Robins.)