X-Women improve to 3-0 with win over Panthers

Antigonish, N.S. - The CIS #5 ranked StFX X-Women (3-0) scored a 49-10 victory over the visiting UPEI Panthers (1-2) in AUS rugby action Friday night at StFX Stadium.

In heavy rain, the home team jumped out to a 19-0 advantage in the opening 15 minutes of the match.

Junior prop Joanna Alphonso (Ajax, ON) put the X-Women ahead with a try in the first five minutes. With the conversion from fifth-year fly half Sabrina McDaid (Scarborough, ON), StFX led 7-0.

Alphonso, with her second try, gave the X-Women a 12-0 edge, in the 10th minute.

Off a scrum deep in the Panther zone, in the 15th minute, junior scrum half Alison Blanchard (Herring Cove, NS) gave a nifty off-load to McDaid, who eluded a couple defenders before scoring the try. She added the conversion to provide StFX with a 19-0 advantage.

In the 28th minute, junior back row Miranda Sample (Havelock, QC) made it 24-0 with a try, off another scrum deep in the Panther end.

The visitors cut the X-Women lead to 24-5, in the 31st minute, on a try from fifth-year senior Holly Jones (Riverview, NB), with under 10 minutes remaining in the first half. The conversion attempt by junior fullback Alysha Corrigan (Sherwood, PE), the UPEI player of the game, rang off the goal post.

On a diving play, in the 34th minute, sophomore hooker Danielle Cormier (Halifax, NS) collected a try, off an Alphonso feed, which gave the X-Women a 29-5 edge at halftime.

Seven minutes into the second half, Alphonso scored her hat-trick try. Off a line-out deep in the UPEI zone, she made a dazzling spin move, before diving for the score.

Off a great interplay between the X-Women backs and forwards, fifth-year senior prop-lock Ellen Murphy (Augustine Cove, PE) made it 39-5 for the home team.

In the 69th minute, senior flanker Brooke Newsome (Brantford, ON), the Subway player of the match, scored a try to make it 44-5, after breaking out of the pack.

After taking a pass from fifth-year senior lock Lauren Chamberlain (Fall River, NS), Jones made a run for the Panthers, before off-loading to Alysha Corrigan, who scored a try to cut the X-Women advantage to 44-10, in the 74th minute.

In the 79th minute, Newsome wrapped up the scoring, with her second try of the match, after taking another off-load from Alphonso.

The Panthers will return to action Saturday, Oct. 1, at 2 p.m., when they host the Saint Mary's Huskies in Charlottetown.

The X-Women will be back on the pitch Sunday, Oct. 2, when the defending conference champion Acadia Axewomen visit the Antigonish campus for Homecoming 2016.

Opening kick-off is set for 2 p.m.

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SCORING SUMMARY

UPEI 5-5: 10
StFX 29-20: 49 

First half
StFX – Joanna Alphonso try (Sabrina McDaid convert), 5^th minute
StFX – Joanna Alphonso try, 10^th minute
StFX – Sabrina McDaid try (Sabrina McDaid convert), 15^th minute
StFX – Miranda Sample try, 28^th minute
UPEI – Holly Jones try, 31^st minute
StFX – Danielle Cormier try, 34^th minute 

Second half
StFX – Joanna Alphonso try, 47^th minute
StFX – Ellen Murphy try, 54^th minute
StFX – Brooke Newsome try, 69^th minute
UPEI – Alysha Corrigan try, 74^th minute
StFX – Brooke Newsome try, 79^th minute 

Subway Players of the game
UPEI:  Alysha Corrigan (Sherwood, PE)
StFX:  Brooke Newsome (Brantford, ON) 

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