X-Women Rugby ranked No. 1 to open season, X-Men cross country 9th

X-Women Rugby ranked No. 1 to open season, X-Men cross country 9th

CIS TOP TEN TUESDAY (#3)
National champs StFX, Guelph open at No. 1 in rugby and cross country

OTTAWA (CIS) – The reigning champion St. Francis Xavier X-Women top the first national rankings of the season in CIS women’s rugby, while the defending champ University of Guelph Gryphons are once again the program to beat in women’s and men’s cross country.

Meanwhile in soccer, reigning national titlists Laval (women) and York (men) both hold on to their No. 1 status for the third time in as many coaches’ polls.

In women’s rugby, StFX (1-0) opened its 2015 AUS schedule last Friday with a resounding 83-0 win over visiting Saint Mary’s. The X-Women captured their third Monilex Trophy in five years – and fourth in school history – last fall.

No less than six teams received first-place votes in the first poll of the campaign, including StFX (15), No. 2 Queen’s (1), No. 3 Ottawa (1), No. 5 Guelph (2), No. 6 Alberta (1) and No. 7 Western (2). Fourth-ranked McMaster was the only top-seven squad not to receive first-place consideration.

In cross country, Guelph (98 points) opens ahead of Toronto (90), Trinity Western (80), Dalhousie (48) and Laval (45) in the women’s rankings, while the Gryphon men (98 points) distanced Laval (83), Windsor (63), McMaster (60) and Trinity Western (53).

The Gryphons have dominated university cross country for a decade, claiming 10 straight CIS women’s team banners and the last nine men’s championships.

In women’s soccer, Laval opened the defence of its first-ever CIS title last Friday with a 1-1 draw against nationally fifth-ranked Montreal, before recording its first victory of the young season on Sunday thanks to a 2-0 shutout versus Bishop’s. 

In men’s soccer, York improved to 4-0-1 in league play thanks to a 2-0 defeat of then-No. 2 McMaster last Thursday, and a 1-0 whitewash against Windsor on Sunday.

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

(points) / (previous ranking)

1. Guelph 98 points / (-)
2. Toronto 90 / (-)
3. Trinity Western 80 / (-)
4. Dalhousie 48 / (-)
5. Laval 45 / (-)
6. Queen’s 38 / (-)
7. Victoria 35 / (-)
8. Calgary 28 / (-)
9. Alberta 23 / (-)
10. Western 20 / (-) 

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

(points) / (previous ranking)

1. Guelph 98 points / (-)
2. Laval 83 / (-)
3. Windsor 63 / (-)
4. McMaster 60 / (-)
5. Trinity Western 53 / (-)
6. Victoria 43 / (-)
7. Lakehead 40 / (-)
8. Queen’s 30 / (-)
9. StFX 28 / (-)
10. Calgary 25 / (-) 

WOMEN’S RUGBY

(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous ranking)

1. StFX (1-0) / 209 points (15) / (-)
2. Queen’s (1-0) / 163 (1) / (-)
3. Ottawa (2-0) / 156 (1) / (-)
4. McMaster (0-1) / 135 / (-)
5. Guelph (1-0) / 131 (2) / (-)
6. Alberta (0-0) / 110 (1) / (-)
7. Western (1-0) / 105 (1) / (-)
8. Concordia (2-0) / 66 / (-)
9. Acadia (1-0) / 41 / (-)
10. Calgary (0-0) / 20 / (-) 

Other teams receiving votes: Laval (18), Victoria (14), York (3), Montreal (3), McGill (1), Waterloo (1).

WOMEN’S SOCCER

(regular season record) / votes / (previous ranking)

1. Laval (1-0-1) / 54 points / (1)
2. Ottawa (4-0-1) / 52 / (3)
3. Western (5-0-1) / 45 / (4)
4. Trinity Western (1-1-0) / 35 / (2)
5. Montreal (1-0-1) / 33 / (5)
6. Laurier (4-0-1) / 31 / (6)
7. Fraser Valley (1-0-1) / 27 / (7)
8. York (5-0-0) / 16 / (NR)
9. UBC (2-1-0) / 10 / (NR)
10. Calgary (2-0-0) / 6 / (NR) * 

* Calgary edges Acadia for the No. 10 position thanks to a higher ranking the previous week.

Other teams receiving votes: Acadia (6), Alberta (4), Memorial (3), Sherbrooke (3), Toronto (3), Manitoba (2).

MEN’S SOCCER

(regular season record) / votes / (previous ranking)

1. York (4-0-1) / 59 points / (1)
2. Ryerson (4-0-1) / 50 / (5)
3. Alberta (2-0-0) / 40 / (9)
4. UQAM (1-0-0) / 38 / (3)
T5. McMaster (4-2-0) / 25 / (2)
T5. Cape Breton (2-0-0) / 25 / (NR)
7. UBC (0-0-1) / 24 / (6)
8. Victoria (2-0-1) / 22 / (NR)
9. Windsor (4-1-1) / 13 / (NR)
T10. Montreal (1-1-0) / 10 / (7)
T10. UQTR (2-0-0) / 10 / (NR) 

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