Defending champion X-Women defeat Huskies 60-15 to set up clash with Axewomen in Sunday’s AUS final

Semifinal #2: 2013 Subway AUS women's rugby championship

(CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I.) – The CIS No. 5-ranked StFX X-Women punched their ticket to Sunday's final of the 2013 Subway AUS women's rugby championship with a 60-15 semifinal victory over the third-seeded Saint Mary's Huskies Saturday afternoon at UPEI's Alumni Canada Games Place.

The defending AUS and CIS champion X-Women opened the scoring in the first minute thanks to a try by AUS all-star Vanessa Duffley (Belleisle, N.B.) and subsequent convert by Sabrina McDaid (Scarborough, Ont.).

The third-seeded Huskies responded almost immediately, as Jorie Rose (Souris, P.E.I.), one of two SMU players named to the 2013 AUS women's rugby all-star team Friday night, scored a try to make the score 7-5 at the four-minute mark.

StFX's Carolyn Stewart and Danielle Robb each added tries at the 13 and 17 minute mark, respectively, to give the X-Women a 19-5 lead, which they would not relinquish.

Saint Mary's winger Ana McBride, named Huskies' Subway Player of the Game, added her first of two tries in the 26th minute to make it 19-10.

Allie Munroe (Truro, N.S.) and Mia Huysmans (Ponoka, Alta.) each added tries before the break to give the X-Women a 31-10 lead at halftime.

StFX's Natalie Lesco (42nd minute), Munroe (56th minute) and Miranda Sample (58th minute) scored three more consecutive tries to open the second half to stretch the StFX lead to 50-10.

Ana McBride (Cantley, Que.) would add her second try for Saint Mary's with 12 minutes remaining to account for the rest of the Huskies' points.

Jaelei Meyer and Duffley, with her second of the day, rounded out the scoring for the X-Women with tries in the 72nd minute and 76th minute respectively.

Allie Monroe was named the Subway Player of the Game for StFX.

McDaid, who led the X-Women in scoring in the regular season, was good on 5-of-10 conversion attempts to finish the game with 10 points.

With the win, the X-Women join the Acadia Axewomen in Sunday's championship final. It is the fourth consecutive year that Acadia and StFX will meet in the AUS final to battle for the Birks Memorial trophy.

The X-Women have captured the Atlantic conference title every year since 1998 including wins over the Axewomen in the previous three AUS championship games by scores of 72-0 in 2012, 60-0 in 2011 and 57-0 in the 2010 final.

The AUS conference receives one berth at next week's CIS championship hosted by Laval. The winner of Sunday's final will represent the Atlantic conference at the national championship.

Sunday's game time at 2 p.m. and will be available via live webcast at www.AUStv.ca.

SCORING SUMMARY

Saint Mary's: 10-5: 15
StFX: 31-29: 60

First half
StFX: Vanessa Duffley – try, 1st minute (Sabrina McDaid convert). 7-0
Saint Mary's: Jorie Rose – try, 4th minute. 7-5
StFX: Carolyn Stewart – try, 13th minute (Sabrina McDaid convert). 14-5
StFX: Danielle Robb – try, 17th minute. 19-5
Saint Mary's: Ana McBride – try, 26th minute. 19-10
StFX: Alexandra Munroe – try, 33rd minute (Sabrina McDaid convert). 26-10
StFX: Mia Huysmans – try, 36th minute. 31-10

Second half
StFX: Natalie Lesco – try, 42nd minute. 36-10
StFX: Alexandra Munroe – try, 56th minute (Sabrina McDaid convert). 43-10
StFX: Miranda Sample – try, 58th minute (Sabrina McDaid convert). 50-10
Saint Mary's: Ana McBride – try, 68th minute. 50-15
StFX: Jaelei Meyer – try, 72nd minute. 55-15
StFX: Vanessa Duffley – try, 76th minute. 60-15

Subway Players of the Game
Saint Mary's: Ana McBride (Cantley, Que.)
StFX: Allie Munroe (Truro, N.S.)

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

SCHEDULE & RESULTS

Saturday, Oct. 26
Semifinal #1: Acadia 69, UPEI 12
Semifinal #2: StFX 60, Saint Mary's 15

Sunday, Oct. 27
Championship final: StFX vs. Acadia, 2 p.m. (www.AUStv.ca webcast)

Source: UPEI Sports Information