X-Women rugby open season with convincing victory

Antigonish, N.S. - The StFX X-Women rugby team opened the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) regular season Friday evening with a convincing 130-5 victory over the visiting Saint Mary's Huskies at StFX Stadium.

Eight different players scored 20 tries and 15 conversions for the home team, which led 85-0 at halftime. The 130 total point tally broke the X-Women's own previous AUS record for most points scored in a single game, eclipsing their total of 116 in a Sept. 29, 2013 game versus UPEI.

Sophomore wing June Beals (North Preston, NS) led the StFX attack with five tries, while Breanna Allison (Cole Harbour, NS) - the Subway player of the match - chipped in four, with Jaelei Meyer (Carlyle, SK) and Brooke Newsome (Brantford, ON) contributing three apiece. Sam Lake (Windsor, NS) notched two tries, while Joanna Alphonso (Ajax, ON), Lucy Killacky (Wolfville, NS) and Carleigh Walters (Williams Lake, BC) added one each in the offensive explosion.

Sabrina McDaid (Scarborough, ON) booted 10 conversions, with Allison and Keeley MacCuish (Trenton, NS) adding three and two, respectively.

In the win, the X-Women scored early and often, jumping to 31-0 advantage in the first 10 minutes of the match.

On one of Beals' opening half tries, she corralled a nifty offload from veteran Ellen Murphy (Augustine Cove, PEI), before diving in for the score.

On another occasion, Beals snagged the ball, off the bounce, after a great kick from McDaid, before racing down the sideline, untouched, for the score.

With her try, Alphonso showed her signature combination of strength and speed, as she raced down the field to increase the blue-and-white edge.

Allison, one of the X-Women who displayed tremendous speed and elusiveness on several occasions, took a first-half pass at midfield before bursting free and racing for a highlight reel try.

With the X-Women having made several substitutions to start the second half, the Huskies were able to score their first, and only, points of the match.

Amanda Katsande (Harare, Zimbabwe) completed a two-on-two passing sequence with the try run.

For the Huskies, Sydney Mann (Stouffville, ON) earned the player of the game nod.

Saint Mary's will be back in action Sunday, Sept. 18, when they host the UPEI Panthers in Halifax.

In a rematch of the 2015 conference championship battle, the X-Women will travel to Wolfville to face the Acadian Axewomen.

Kick-off for both matches is set for 2 p.m.

-30- 

SCORING SUMMARY

SMU 0-5: 5
StFX 85-45: 130 

First half
StFX – Breanna Allison try (Sabrina McDaid convert) 1^st minute
StFX – June Beals try (Sabrina McDaid convert) 4^th minute
StFX – Brooke Newsome try (Sabrina McDaid convert) 6^th minute
StFX – June Beals try 8^th minute
StFX – Jaelei Meyer try (Sabrina McDaid convert) 14^th minute
StFX – Jaelei Meyer try (Sabrina McDaid convert) 19^th minute
StFX – Jaelei Meyer try (Sabrina McDaid convert) 21^st minute
StFX – Breanna Allison try (Sabrina McDaid convert) 23^rd minute
StFX – Joanna Alphonso try (Sabrina McDaid convert) 25^th minute
StFX – Breanna Allison try 28^th minute
StFX – Brooke Newsome try 34^th minute
StFX – Brooke Newsome try (Sabrina McDaid convert) 39^th minute
StFX – June Beals try (Sabrina McDaid convert) 40^th minute 

Second half
SMU – Amanda Katsande try 50^th minute
StFX – Sam Lake try (Breanna Allison convert) 54^th minute
StFX – Breanna Allison try (Breanna Allison convert) 56^th minute
StFX – June Beals try (Breanna Allison convert) 58^th minute
StFX – Carleigh Walters try 60^th minute
StFX – Sam Lake try 68^th minute
StFX – June Beals try (Keeley MacCuish convert) 72^nd minute
StFX – Lucy Killacky try (Keeley MacCuish convert) 78^th minute 

Players of the Game
SMU:  Sydney Mann (Stouffville, Ont.)
StFX:  Breanna Allison (Cole Harbour, N.S.) 

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