X-Women claim McEwen Cup

STE. ANNE DE BELLEVUE, Que. -- Brianna Miller scored 17 points as the CIS ranked No. 7 McGill Martlets defeated the No. 6 StFX X-Women 27-17 in women's rugby exhibition play for the McEwen Cup Sunday afternoon.

The X-Women claimed the Cup with an aggregate score of 46-27, however, as this year's event was a two-game, total-point series and the X-Women posted a 29-0 victory in pre-season play in Antigonish, N.S.

The McEwen Cup is an annual women's rugby exhibition game played between StFX and McGill which was started in 2004. It is played to honor the McEwen family of Montreal who generously donated land for McGill athletics playing fields.

Miller was a one-woman show, scoring one try, a pair of penalty goals and three conversions in the game. The Martlets, who led 17-3 at halftime, also had tries from Emily Barber and Caroline Suchorski.

Sabrina McDaid led the X-Women with seven points, connecting on a first-half penalty goal and converting second half tries by Tasha McKenzie and Mia Huysmans.

The X-Women and Martlets second squads then played the second bill of a doubleheader and StFX came away with s 38-7 victory.

Beckie Clark led the scoring for the X-Women with three tries in the game, while Brianna Allison added a pair.

Dominique Lalonde scored eight points for the X-Women as she booted four conversions. Zahra Batool rounded out the X scoring with a single try.

With the exhibition split, the X-Women's overall record stands at 8-2 on the season. They are 6-1 in AUS regular season play, currently sitting in second place behind the CIS ranked No. 5 Acadia Axewomen (7-0).

The top two teams will meet at Acadia on Saturday, October 19th in the final AUS regular season game. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 pm in Wolfville, N.S. and is being webcast live on www.austv.ca. The Axewomen handed the X-Women their first regular season loss since 2004 with a 45-13 decision in the first game of the season back on September 6th.