CIS Rugby silver lining

Although it wasn’t the color they were hoping for, the X-Women played a tough game and earned a CIS silver medal in a 29-15 loss to the host Lethbridge Pronghorns in the CIS women’s rugby championship game Sunday afternoon in Alberta.

Led by Tournament MVP Ashley Patzer who scored two tries, the Pronghorns came out strongly to win the second half and the overall game, winning their second consecutive CIS gold medal.

The host Pronghorns opened the scoring in the game with an early try a couple minutes in by Patzer who broke through the StFX defense. Two minutes later Courtnay Malcolm got the X-Women on the board with a three-point penalty goal.

The X-Women shook their nerves and settled in to control the latter part of the first half. Thirty minutes in, Malcolm jumped on a kicked ball by Ghislaine Landry to score StFX’s first try of the game and take an 8-5 lead which held at half-time.

Four minutes into the second half Kim Armstrong scored a try on a nice pass from Landry and Malcolm made good on the convert to increase the X lead to 15-5.

The defending CIS champions did not let up, however, and Kenzie Ralph would score two consecutive tries for the Pronghorns to even the game up at 15 all. Lethbridge adapted to the X-Women game and moved the ball well across the field to their wingers to score the two tries.

The momentum continued to shift in the Pronghorns favor and Patzer scored the go-ahead try with Ashley MacDonald scoring the ensuing convert to establish a 22-15 Lethbridge lead late in the game.

The X-Women were unable to fend off the Pronghorn attack and CIS Rookie of the Year Brandi VanEuwen tallied a final try with another MacDonald convert to round out the scoring and take the championship banner with a 29-15 win.

“Lethbridge changed things up in the second half and they made some adjustments to their game,” commented StFX head coach Mike Cavanagh. “They were able to throw us off our game plan and come out with the win.”

Three X-Women were named to the CIS tournament all-star team, including co-captains Tamara Boiteau and Ghislaine Landry and rookie Asya Bartley.

For a complete tournament summary, visit the championship website


StFX X-Women, 2008 CIS silver medalists