X-Women delight Homecoming crowd with 57-12 victory over Axewomen

Antigonish, NS – The U SPORTS No. 2 ranked StFX X-Women remain undefeated on the AUS season after playing to a 57-2 victory over the No. 8 ranked Acadia Axewomen Saturday afternoon in front of an enthusiastic Homecoming crowd of over 1700 fans.

The X-Women were led by Subway Player of the Game Sammy Nadeau (Bewdley, ON) and Sam Lake (Windsor, NS) who scored three and four tries, respectively, accounting for 35 points of the X-Women's total on the scoreboard.

Both teams came out strong in the first half, providing entertaining rugby and a defensive battle. The X-Women scored first in the seventh minute when fifth year veteran prop Lake touched down for an unconverted try.

The Axewomen answered right back as fourth year prop Emma Pfleiderer was able to take advantage of and Acadia steal and broke free for a nice 40 yard run to the try line. The unconverted try locked to two teams even at 5-5 early in the game.

Lake added her second try of the game in the 15^th minute and Danielle Franada (Grand Prairie, AB) converted to give the X-Women back the lead.

Sammy Nadeau rounded out the first half scoring with an unconverted try in the 34^th minute and the X-Women lead 17-5 at halftime.

The X-Women came out with intensity in the second half and rattled off 33 consecutive points to take a commanding 50-5 lead and put the game out of reach for their conference rival Axewomen.

Lake scored consecutive tries, followed by Nadeau, Katie Pentz (Trenton, NS) and Nadeau again, and Franada made good on four of the five converts.

The Axewomen got on the board in the 74^th minute when Kia Sawler (Windsor, NS) crossed the try line and Annie Kennedy (Kingston, ON) converted.

The last X-Women score came from Sarah Hoerig (Whitby, ON), set-up off a nice run from Meghan Buchanan (Lethbridge, AB). Franada's conversion brought her total to six on the afternoon for 12 points.

Fourth year No. 8 Anna Horner (Stouffville, ON) continued her strong play on both sides of the ball for the X-Women throughout the game.

Nadeau received Subway player of the game honours, while Emma Pfleiderer was the player of the game for Acadia.

With the win the X-Women improve to 5-0 atop the AUS standings. They will be back in action on Wednesday, October 9^th with a game in Halifax against Saint Mary's (0-4) to wrap up regular season play.

The Axewomen (3-2) will travel to Charlottetown on Saturday, October 12^th to face the UPEI Panthers (1-3) in their last game.

Both the Axewomen and X-Women have clinched playoff berths. The second place team will host the third place team in an AUS semi-final game, with the winner advancing to play the first place finisher.

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Courtesy Krista McKenna, StFX Sports Information

SCORING SUMMARY
ACA 5-7: 12
StFX 17-40: 57 

1^st HALF
StFX – Sam Lake try, 7^th minute
ACA – Emma Pfleiderer try, 12^th minute
StFX – Sam Lake try (Danielle Franada convert), 15^th minute
StFX – Sammy Nadeau try, 34^th minute 

2^nd HALF
StFX – Sam Lake try (Danielle Franada convert), 43^rd minute
StFX – Sam Lake try (Danielle Franada convert), 50^th minute
StFX – Sammy Nadeau try, 54^th minute
StFX – Katie Pentz try (Danielle Franada convert), 60^th minute
StFX – Sammy Nadeau try (Danielle Franada convert), 64^th minute
ACA – Kia Sawler try (Annie Kennedy convert), 74^th minute
StFX – Sarah Hoerig try (Danielle Franada convert), 79^th minute
 
Players of the Game:
ACA – Emma Pfleiderer (Williams Lake, BC)
StFX – Sammy Nadeau (Bewdley, ON)