Stingers 46, Vert et Or 15: Women’s rugby team wins, retains Kelly-Anne Drummond Cup
Dominant showing sees Concordia defend title
”This is the most important game of the year,” Stinger’s co-captain Emma Gallagher stated.
The 17th Annual Kelly-Anne Drummond Cup is a game that holds a great deal of importance to the women's rugby community. The game itself featured the Concordia women's team going up against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or, just one week after the two played previously, with Concordia winning that game 27-7.
Concordia got off to a hot start. With possession of the ball near the five-meter line, Maxine O'Leary punched it in with a try off of the powerful wedge formed by her teammates. That would set the tempo for how things played out throughout the game.
At the 23-minute mark, a penalty by Concordia's Steve Kalayjian left the Stinger's down a player. The Vert et Or capitalized. Maria Sol Guede scored despite a bold goal-line stand by Concordia, being the only score that Sherbrooke would obtain.
Concordia would respond, and with gusto. Gallagher and Leann Duncan would both score off of well-executed set pieces from the backs. The score then at the end of the half was Concordia 15, Sherbrooke 5.
"We played Sherbrooke last week, and we tried to do a lot more cut lines/inside ball. We realized the space was out wide,” said Gallagher on the Stingers offense. "Credit to the girls’ [Stinger's team] for having great hands, seeing the space, attacking the defender, and then getting [the ball] out wide."
Three minutes into the second half, the Stingers picked up where they left off. The MVP on the Concordia side, Emily “Try Time” Magee (as her teammates call her), scored a try to cap off a downhill run. Magee’s strong performance was one of many by the Stingers’ players.
What stood out was her ability to make critical tackles, hit solid rucks, and score; all this summed up by the broadcaster's alluding to Magee's "tenacity."
"I was a really shy player growing up, and I think at a certain point I learned to let loose and live a little, and that translated into my rucks."
Scores from Mahalia Robinson and Kelsey Sylvester made it a 41 to 5 game in favor of Concordia.
Sherbrooke would finally reach the try zone again, with Julie Doucet scoring off a fortunate line-out going the Vert & Or's way. Unfortunately, that score was short-lived.Emily Magee would attain her second big run of the game, breaking tackles as she too reached the try zone.
Magee herself would remain humble, however, stating post-game, "I like to focus on making my whole team look good. If I happen to be the finisher, great, but I hope my entire team can have a 'try time' to their own."
Frédéryke Roy would score in the game's dying moments, but it would be all for not.
The Stingers prepare now for their next match October 2nd, where they face off against Ottawa University.
