Defending champs top Axewomen to open 2023 season

On a day when the 2022 AUS women's rugby champions unveiled their banner in front of a large home crowd, the 2023 edition of the UPEI Panthers did their part, defeating the Acadia Axewomen 27-15. 

And just like last season's final against the same opponent, the Panthers (1-0) did their damage in the second half, outscoring the Axewomen (0-1) 20-5 to capture their first win of the year. 

In the opening minutes of the game, Acadia struck first when Katya Dondi found a hole and broke through it for 60 yards before offloading it to Juliette Masukobo, who took it the final five yards for the try and an early 5-0 advantage. 

UPEI responded in the 12th minute when Olivia McLeod eventually bulled her way over for a converted try to give them a 7-5 lead. 

However, that was short-lived, as Acadia's Olivia Savoie responded quickly with a try to make it 10-7. 

Acadia was marching down the field again late in the half, but the Panthers denied them a score and kept the deficit to just three heading into the break. 

From there, the Panthers took over. In the 52nd minute, Carla Stewart emerged from a maul and dove past the line for her first of two tries to pull her team in front 12-10. Eight minutes later, Cook added a penalty kick to make it 15-10. 

UPEI got a huge boost from AUS all-star and U SPORTS All-Canadian Emily Duffy, who came off the bench and dominated in her brief stint. Duffy showed off her strength in the 67th minute when she willed her way across the line for the converted try. 

Stewart then put the game in the 76th minute with the team's fourth try of the afternoon. Acadia's Lucy Caldwell added one late, but the damage was already done as they fell 27-15. 

The Panthers travel to Halifax next Saturday where they'll take on the Saint Mary's Huskies, while the Axewomen return home for a game against the StFX X-Women.