(WOLFVILLE, N.S.) – The StFX X-Women are the 2014 Atlantic University Sport women's rugby champions after a hard fought 19-12 overtime victory against the Acadia Axewomen Sunday afternoon at Raymond Field.
The game marked the second consecutive year that the two teams needed overtime to decide the winner of the Birks Memorial trophy as league champions. Last year in Charlottetown they battled for the banner with the X-Women prevailing by the same 19-12 score, also in overtime.
Today's victory marked the 17th consecutive AUS title for the X-Women as they remain the only team to ever win the banner.
The game was played in wet, rainy conditions in Wolfville in front of over 850 fans as the second-seeded Axewomen hosted the top seeded and CIS No. 2-ranked X-Women.
It was the home team who opened the scoring in the game after the teams adjusted to the wet and slippery conditions. Fourth-year back row Janna Slevinsky (St. Albert, Alta.), an AUS all star, scored an unconverted try for Acadia in the 18th minute. The try was set-up by a pick-off by third-year centre Clarissa MacDonald (Barrie, Ont.).
The teams battled for the remainder of the opening half but the Acadia 5-0 lead held at halftime.
The Axewomen increased their lead to 10-0 when third-year prop Natalie Silver (Canning, Ont.) tallied the second try of the game in the 47th minute, much to the delight of the home crowd as she barreled through a collection of StFX defenders across the try line.
AUS leading scorer Erin Beazley (Windsor, N.S.) made good on the conversion to give the Axewomen a 12-0 advantage over the defending champions.
The X-Women fought their way back into the game and the momentum shifted as StFX Subway player of the game and AUS most valuable player Emma Taylor (Scotsburn, N.S.) finally got the X-Women on the board in the 52nd minute as the offence was pressuring in the Acadia end of the field.
Taylor then made good on her second score of the game as the X-Women scrum pushed across the try line to close the gap on the Axewomen. Third-year X-Women fly half Sabrina McDaid (Scarborough, Ont.) converted the second try to even the game at 12-12.
The deadlock held through to the end of regulation and a familiar scene unfolded again for the two squads who headed to overtime for the second consecutive year.
StFX scored five minutes into the first of two 10-minute overtime halves. Second-year prop Tasha McKenzie (Indian Brook, N.S.) scored what would stand to be the game-winning try as McDaid converted to give the X-Women a 19-12 lead and the eventual win.
X-Women lock Emma Taylor was named tournament MVP for her efforts and when asked after the if she thought they would be faced with a similar scenario as last year, she responded, "To be honest we knew that Acadia was going to be just as strong (this season), and when we came here today we knew we would have a tough game."
When asked what was said during halftime, Taylor said her teammates motivated her the most. "We really motivated each other and we never got down. I didn't even know what the score was."
A disheartened Axewomen squad felt the sting of defeat after leading the game for a second year in a row in the second half. Acadia's Subway player of the game, Shannon White (Mississauga, Ont.), accepted the defeat with great emotion but was proud of her team, "It is not the result we wanted, but I have never been so proud of a group of girls in my whole life," said the senior centre.
"We have so many young girls who are in second and third year who will be a force to be reckoned with and I look forward to watching them play. I am so proud of what they were able to accomplish this year and today."
The CIS No. 2-ranked X-Women will now look ahead to CIS national championship to be hosted by Guelph University Oct. 30 to Nov. 1. The X-Women will be the sole AUS team at the national event, joining Canada West champion Alberta, OUA champion McMaster, RSEQ champion Ottawa, along with the host Guelph squad and OUA representative Western.
SCORING SUMMARY
ACA 5-7-0: 12
StFX 0-12-7: 19
First Half
ACA – Janna Slevinsky try, 18th minute
Second Half
ACA - Natalie Silver try (Erin Beazley convert), 47th minute
StFX - Emma Taylor try, 52nd minute
StFX - Emma Taylor try (Sabrina McDaid convert), 57th minute
Overtime
StFX - Tasha McKenzie try, (Sabrina McDaid convert), 85th minute
Subway Players of the Game
ACA: Shannon White (Mississauga, Ont.)
StFX: Emma Taylor (Scotsburn, N.S.)
Tournament Most Valuable Player
StFX: Emma Taylor
Legend:
Try: 5 points
Penalty goal: 3 points
Convert: 2 points
Source: Acadia Sports Information