WOLFVILLE, N.S. – The regular season results never really matter in the postseason. The StFX X-Women proved this by defeating the undefeated Acadia Axewomen 42-24 in the AUS Championship game in Wolfville.
The undefeated Axewomen posted two regular-season wins over the X-Women, but today's win was for all the marbles.
The X-Women went to work right away with two converted tries by Annie McMullon in the opening six minutes.
Madison Ross padded the lead to 21-0 on her first of two tries in the championship game. Ross' try came at the 18-minute mark. Off the scrum in the Acadia end, Ross found the space to squeeze in a 10-yard sprint for the try. All three StFX tries were converted by Danielle Franada.
The Axewomen responded 28 minutes into the game with a powered push Keisha Kane try and conversion by Sara Grant to close the lead to 21-7.
Ross was quick to reply with StFX's fourth converted try of the opening half at 33 minutes. Franada added the extra two points on the conversion.
The tables were quickly turned in the second half as Acadia pushed for a comeback.
Senior prop Taryn McLachlan started the ball rolling in the first of three unanswered tries by the Axewomen.
McLachlan's converted try by Sara Grant came five minutes into the second half. Keisha Kane added her second try of the game on a StFX turnover deep in their end. Kane picked up the loose ball and dashed for the end zone.
Sophie Pickard would score the last Axewoman try with less than 23 minutes remaining in the game before the Acadia ran out of steam in what many thought would be a triumphant comeback.
Regaining ball and possession control, the X-Women added two tries – both by second-year X-Woman Tashayla Tynes at the 74 minute and 79-minute mark of the game.
For Tyne's effort, she was named the Most Valuable Player of the Game.
Following the game, second-year scrum-half Madison Ross was lost for words describing how she felt about the win.
"I am kind of at a loss of words right now. It was a big game and definitely, both sides played incredibly well today and all season. Acadia should be really proud. We did everything we absolutely could this week to prepare for this moment and I am really glad we could get it through. We really believe in this team and we are really excited about nationals," noted X-Woman Madison Ross.
When asked what the team was thinking when Acadia made their comeback in the second half, Ross noted the confidence the team had in keeping with the game plan.
"I think composer and pride in possession, you know. We worked hard in the first half and second half and we wanted to remind ourselves we were meant to be here. This was our game and we wanted it more," added Ross.
On the losing side, Acadia Player of the Game, Sophie Pickard was confident that the team would bounce back for the U SPORTS national championship in two weeks.
"The wind definitely did make a difference (in the opening half), but in the change room leading up, we told ourselves that we have to do what we have to do and we knew the game wasn't really out of reach," said Pickard.
"It's not the outcome we expected, but we told ourselves to take today and sit on it and come tomorrow we are working towards nationals," added Pickard.
Both teams will gain a berth to the National Championship held from November 11th to 14th in Kingston, Ont. and hosted by Queen's University.