VANCOUVER (CIS) – The Lethbridge Pronghorns captured a
third straight Monilex trophy as CIS women’s rugby champions
with a 20-3 gold-medal victory over the St. Francis Xavier X-Women,
Sunday afternoon at Thunderbird Stadium.
The two powerhouses were meeting in the national final for the
second year in a row. Lethbridge beat StFX 29-15 in the title match
last season, one year after edging Western Ontario 15-10 in the
2007 final to claim the first CIS banner in program history.
The X-Women, AUS champions 12 years running, were playing for CIS
gold for the third time in four seasons. StFX won its lone Monilex
trophy in 2006.
The Pronghorns, Canada West gold medallists the last four seasons,
were in the driver’s seat all game on Sunday.
Andrea Letal of Calgary, who was named tournament MVP, scored a try
11 minutes into the contest as Lethbridge opened the match with 15
unanswered points on its way to a 15-3 halftime lead.
The X-Women, like every opponent Lethbridge has faced this year,
were unable to break down the champions defence once they fell
behind.
“We were really composed and the girls followed exactly the
game plan we asked them to,” said Lethbridge head coach Neil
Langevin, the reigning CIS coach of the year. “The defence
has been the hallmark of this group and it’s just a wonderful
group to coach. We played defence first. We kept the ball in their
end as much as possible and tried to force them into
mistakes.”
The strategy paid off as the Pronghorns extended their lead in the
26th minute when sustained pressure in the StFX end of the field
resulted in a penalty goal attempt from 20 yards out for two-time
CIS player of the year Ashley Patzer. The senior national team
member from Lethbridge made no mistake, splitting the uprights to
put her side up 8-0.
Brittany Orr of Fort Macleod, Alta., and Patzer, who were both
named to the tournament all-star team along with Letal, all but put
the game away a few minutes later.
Orr received the ball on the right wing 30 yards from goal, cut
back to the middle of the field to beat a defender and score.
Patzer’s conversion made it 15-0.
Courtnay Malcolm of New Glasgow, N.S., got StFX on the board before
the break, nailing a penalty goal from 20 yards in the 34th
minute.
But the X-Women could do nothing offensively in the second half.
They pushed deep into Pronghorn territory occasionally but were
never able to finish their drives before the Lethbridge defence won
the ball back.
“Our back three were important all weekend,” said
Langevin. “All the girls did a great job clearing the ball
and we credit them a lot because they did face some pressure
today.”
Letal added to her MVP credentials early in the second frame
rounding out the scoring with another try, this time a 30-yard
sprint down the right wing.
The Pronghorn trio of Alex Hendricks of Lomond, Alta., Kelsey
Willoughby of Lethbridge and Brandi Van Eeuwen of Duncan, B.C. were
also named tournament all-stars.
Three X-Women, Asya Bartley of Ottawa, freshman Tyson Beukeboom of
Uxbridge, Ont., and two-time CIS MVP Ghislaine Landry of Toronto,
were also selected.
GAME NOTES: Lethbridge is the second team in history to win at least three straight Monilex trophies. The Alberta Pandas claimed five consecutive CIS titles from 1999 to 2003... Lethbridge beat StFX 17-12 in non-conference play this season scoring a 17-12 win at Antigonish, N.S., on Sept. 13...
SCORING SUMMARY
LETH 15-5: 20
StFX 3-0: 3
First half
1. LETH: Andrea Letal (try, 5 pts)
2. LETH: Ashley Patzer (penalty kick, 3 pts)
3. LETH: Brittany Orr (try, 5 pts), Ashley Patzer (convert, 2
pts)
4. StFX: Courtnay Malcolm (pen. kick, 3 pts)
Second half
5. LETH: Andrea Letal (try, 5 pts)
Players of the game
LETH: Ashley Zaremba (Lethbridge, Alta.)
StFX: Jamee George (Brandon, Man.)
CHAMPIONSHIP
ALL-STARS
Championship MVP: Andrea Letal (Calgary, Alta.),
Lethbridge
R.W. Pugh Fair Play award: Concordia Stingers
Prop Asya Bartley (Ottawa, Ont.), StFX
Hooker Mary-Jane Kirby (Brampton, Ont.), Guelph
Prop Brandi Van Eeuwen (Duncan, B.C.), Lethbridge
Lock Danielle Willhoeft (Oakville, Ont.), UBC
Lock Sarah Nesbitt (Regina, Sask.), Concordia
Flanker Stephanie DeVries (Ariss, Ont.), Guelph
Flanker Kelsey Willoughby (Lethbridge, Alta.), Lethbridge
8 Tyson Beukeboom (Uxbridge, Ont.), StFX
Scrum Half Alex Hendricks (Lethbridge, Alta.), Lethbridge
Fly Half Ghislaine Landry (Toronto, Ont.), StFX
Inside Centre Andrea Letal (Calgary, Alta.), Lethbridge
Outside Centre Rahda Jain (Mississauga, Ont.), UBC
Wing Laura Belvedere (Chatham, Que.), Concordia
Wing Brittany Orr (Lethbridge, Alta.), Lethbridge
Fullback Ashley Patzer (Lethbridge, Alta.), Lethbridge
ROUND-ROBIN STANDINGS, SCHEDULE & RESULTS (all times
LOCAL: PACIFIC)
Final Pool A standings
GP W L T PF PA PTS
1. Lethbridge 2 2 0 0 66 3 9
2. Concordia 2 1 1 0 10 15 4
3. Western 2 0 2 0 3 61 0
Final Pool B standings
GP W L T PF PA PTS
1. StFX 2 1 0 1 28 10 6
2. Guelph 2 1 0 1 15 10 6
3. UBC 2 0 2 0 0 23 1
NOTE: a win is worth 4 points and a tie 2 points.
NOTE 2: 1 bonus point is awarded for scoring 4 tries or more in a
game, and 1 bonus point is allowed for a loss by 7 points or
less.
Friday, Nov. 6
Round-Robin Pool A: Lethbridge 51, Western Ontario 3
Round-Robin Pool B: StFX 18, UBC 0
Round-Robin Pool A: Concordia 10, Western Ontario 0
Round-Robin Pool B: Guelph 5, UBC 0
Round-Robin Pool A: Lethbridge 15, Concordia 0
Round-Robin Pool B: StFX 10, Guelph 10
Saturday, Nov. 7
Semi-final 1: Lethbridge 25, Guelph 0
Semi-final 2: StFX 13 Concordia 8 (2OT)
Sunday, Nov. 8
5th place: UBC 27, Western Ontario 0
Bronze medal: Guelph 15, Concordia 10
Championship final: Lethbridge 20, StFX 3
- CIS -