BRONZE MEDAL CIS championship: Guelph medals for 6th straight year

By Trent University sports information / Photo credit Matt Stetson
 
PETERBOROUGH, Ont. (CIS) – The Guelph Gryphons reached the podium for the sixth straight year at the CIS women’s rugby championship thanks to a 10-8 win over the Lethbridge Pronghorns, Sunday afternoon, in the third-place match of the 2010 tournament hosted by Trent University.
 
The OUA champion Gryphons, who captured the inaugural Monilex trophy back in 1998, finish third in the country for the fourth consecutive season. They had also claimed silver in 2006 and bronze in 2005.
 
Guelph has now won eight medals (1-2-5) in the 13-year history of the championship.
 
The Canada West champion Pronghorns saw their own streak of four consecutive CIS podiums come to an end. Lethbridge came into the tournament as three-time defending national champion and had finished third in 2006.
 
The 2010 bronze-medal duel went right down to the end. The two very evenly-matched teams battled through a scoreless first half that featured two missed penalty kicks by Guelph from right under the Lethbridge posts.
 
Two minutes in to the second half, Guelph’s Stephanie De Vries of Ariss, Ont., touched down a charged down kick to score the first major. The Gryphons added to their lead when Sharon Rafferty of Brantford, Ont., finished off a nice series of passes to touch down near the touch line.
 
Lethbridge got back in the game when Laura Murphy-Burke of Surrey, B.C., kicked a penalty goal and, shortly after, added a try to make it 10-8. Her convert attempt hit the post however, adding emphasis to the nearness of the final score.
 
De Vries was named player of the game for Guelph, while Shannon Court of Red Deer, Alta., earned the honour for Lethbridge.
 
Guelph head coach Collette McAuley complimented her team on being able to play “pretty rugby” after taking such a tough loss the previous day.
 
“Many people played hurt and showed a lot of heart. I’m very proud of them,” McAuley said.
 
Lethbridge coach Neil Langevin talked of an inspired performance from his players, many of whom were competing while badly beaten up from previous games.
 
“We lose three players and we’re really pleased to have gotten so far this year with such a young team,” commented Langevin. 
 
SCORING SUMMARY
GUE 10
LET 8
 
First half
No scoring
 
Second half
1. GUE: Stephanie De Vries (5)
2. GUE: Shannon Rafferty (5)
3. LET: Laura Murphy-Burke (3)
4. LET: Laura Murphy-Burke (5)
 
Players of the game
GUE: Stephanie De Vries (Ariss, Ont.)
LET: Shannon Court (Red Deer, Alta.)
 
Legend:
(5) Try: 5 points
(3) Penalty goal: 3 points
(2) Convert: 2 points 
  
POOL STANDINGS, SCHEDULE & RESULTS
 
Pool A (FINAL after Saturday)
                        GP       W        L          PF        PA       PTS
1. Concordia    2          2          0          51        15        9
2. Lethbridge   2          1          1          27        31        5
3. Queen’s       2          0          2          15        47        1
 
Pool B (FINAL after Saturday)
                        GP       W        L          PF        PA       PTS
1. StFX              2          2          0          55        17        9         
2. Guelph          2          1          1          54        23        6
3. Trent             2          0          2          5          74        0          
 
NOTE: A win is worth 4 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.
 
Thursday, Nov. 4
11:00 Round-Robin Pool A: Lethbridge 15, Queen’s 12 (OT)
13:30 Round-Robin Pool B: StFX 37, Trent 0
 
Friday, Nov. 5
11:00 Round-Robin Pool A: Concordia 32, Queen’s 3
13:30 Round-Robin Pool B: Guelph 37, Trent 5
 
Saturday, Nov. 6
11:00 Round-Robin Pool A: Concordia 19, Lethbridge 12
13:30 Round-Robin Pool B: StFX 18, Guelph 17
 
Sunday, Nov. 7
10:00 5th place: Queen’s 53, Trent 5
12:15 Bronze medal: Guelph 10, Lethbridge 8
14:30 Championship final: Concordia vs. StFX (SSN Canada webcast)
 
 
-CIS-