Women’s Rugby
Ottawa topped Guelph in bronze medal match
VICTORIA (U SPORTS) – Tournament MVP Audrey Champagne scored nine of her game-high 12 points in the first half as the Laval Rouge et Or cruised to a 22-5 victory over the Queen’s Gaels on Sunday to capture the university’s second Molinex Trophy as U SPORTS Women’s Rugby champions.
Laval previously captured the U SPORTS Women’s Rugby championship title in 2019 and, after a cancelled season in 2020, was dethroned as champions in last year’s semifinal round by the eventual champions from Queen’s.
Laval dominated the opening 40 minutes of play, taking a 9-0 lead to the locker room thanks to Champagne’s three penalty goals.
Queen’s responded with a solid drive in the opening minutes of the second half as Madison Donnelly reached the try line in the 43rd minute to cut the Laval advantage to 9-5, but it was as close as the defending champions could come to the Rouge et Or.
Alexina Tardif-Samson replied six minutes later to extend the lead to 14-5, followed by Champagne’s final penalty goal in the 57th minute. Cécile Leclerc wrapped up the scoring on a one-metre dive off a lineout in the 75th minute to put the exclamation point on the victory.
With this win, Laval ends their season with an undefeated record of 11-0-0, while Queen’s ends their year at 10-1.
SCORING SUMMARY
First Half
5’ Laval PG #12 Audrey Champagne 3-0 Laval
8’ Laval PG #12 Audrey Champagne 6-0 Laval
33’ Laval PG #12 Audrey Champagne 9-0 Laval
Second Half
43’ Queen’s try #13 Madison Donnelly (#7 convert missed) 9-5 Laval
49’ Laval try #15 Alexina Tardif-Samson (#12 convert missed) 14-5 Laval
57’ Laval PG #12 Audrey Champagne 17-5 Laval
75’ Laval try #17 Cécile Leclerc (#12 convert missed) 22-5 Laval
Nike Top Performers
- Laval: Corinne Fréchette
- Queen’s: Jaden Walker
CHAMPIONSHIP MVP
- Audrey Champagne, Laval
Championship All-Star Team
- Gabrielle Piquer, Laval
- Taylor McKnight, Guelph
- Mya Brubacher, Queen’s
- Andréanne Valois, Laval
- Ketsia Kamba, Ottawa
- Siobhan Sheerin, Queen’s
- Lea Ouellet, Laval
- Emily Clark, Guelph
- Corinne Fréchette, Laval
- Claire Gallagher, Ottawa
- Lucie Romeo, Victoria
- Audrey Champagne, Laval
- Maggie Banks, Queen’s
- Kally King, UBC
- Jayden Walker, Queen’s
R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award:
- UPEI Panthers