X-Women blank Axewomen 72-0 to claim 15th AUS banner

(ANTIGONISH, N.S.) – The CIS No. 1-ranked StFX X-Women blanked the second seeded Acadia Axewomen 72-0 to claim their 15th consecutive AUS women’s rugby title at the 2012 Subway AUS women’s rugby championship, Sunday afternoon at Oland Stadium.

The X-Women, now a perfect 10-0 in 2012, including regular season play and Saturday’s semifinal win over the UPEI Panthers, scored 36 points in the opening half and added another 36 in the final 40 minutes to once again engrave their name on the Birks Memorial Trophy.

Magali Harvey, a fourth-year fullback from Quebec City, was named the Subway player of the game and took home tournament most valuable player honours after scoring 47 points in the two tournament games, including 15 in Sunday’s final.

Harvey led the Atlantic conference in scoring this season with 145 points in eight regular season games and was named an AUS all-star for the third year in a row on Friday.

Lisa Gauthier, a fourth-year center from St. Bernadin, Ont., opened the scoring in the fourth minute for the X-Women with her first of two tries in the game. Saturday’s player of the game Natalie Lesco (1st year, London, Ont.) scored her fifth try of the weekend 10 minutes later to give StFX an early 14-0 lead.

Rounding out the scoring for the 15-time defending AUS champion X-Women were Tyson Beukeboom (two tries), Sara Kaljuvee (two tries), Jessica Jacobs (one try), Alexandra Munroe (one try) and Olivia DeMerchant (one try).

The Subway player of the game for Acadia was Natalie Silver (1st year, Canning, N.S.)

With the win, the X-Women keep their perfect AUS playoff record unblemished, having never lost a post-season game in AUS championship play.

StFX and Acadia will both advance to next weekend’s CIS championship as the AUS conference receives two berths in the 2012 national tournament hosted by StFX University.

The X-Women are making their 15th consecutive appearance at the CIS championship while Acadia will be participating in first ever national championship.

SCORING SUMMARY

ACA: 0-0: 0
StFX: 36-36: 72

First half
StFX: Lisa Gauthier – try, 4th minute (Magali Harvey convert). 7-0
StFX: Natalie Lesco – try, 14th minute (Magali Harvey convert). 14-0
StFX: Lisa Gauthier – try, 22nd minute. 19-0
StFX: Tyson Beukeboom – try, 28th minute. 24-0
StFX: Jessica Jacobs – try, 33rd minute. 29-0
StFX: Magali Harvey – try, 38th minute (Magali Harvey convert). 36-0

Second half
StFX: Tyson Beukeboom – try, 43rd minute. 41-0
StFX: Magali Harvey – try, 48th minute (Magali Harvey convert). 48-0
StFX: Sara Kaljuvee – try, 54th minute (Magali Harvey convert). 55-0
StFX: Alexandra Munroe – try, 57th minute. 60-0
StFX: Olivia DeMerchant – try, 75th minute. 65-0
StFX: Sara Kaljuvee – try, 79th minute. 72-0

2012 AUS championship most valuable player:
Magali Harvey, StFX (Quebec City, Que.)

Subway players of the game:
ACA: Natalie Silver (Canning, N.S.)
StFX: Magali Harvey (Quebec City, Que.)

Legend:
Try: 5 points
Penalty goal: 3 points
Convert: 2 points

SCHEDULE & RESULTS

Saturday, Oct. 27
Semifinal #1: StFX 92, UPEI 3
Semifinal #2: Acadia 22, Saint Mary’s 7

Sunday, October 28
Championship final: StFX 72, Acadia 0