In a replay of last year’s finish – right down to the steady rain - the game was a 19-12 St. F.X. victory decided in overtime.
Early in a chippy first half, Axewoman flanker Veronique Russell was sent to the sin bin, leaving Acadia a player short for a 10 minute penalty. The home team seemed inspired by the penalty and Janna Slevinsky scored the first try of the game at 18 minutes in.
When her team was headed into the second half losing 5-0, St. F.X. Emma Taylor said she was "a little down.”
"Our captain (Catherine MacKeigan) who didn't get to finish the game, came in there and told us ‘we're not giving up, we're going to win this game,’” the AUS MVP said afterwards.
See more photos of the game here
Going into the second half up 5-0, the Axewomen had the crowd fired up. Kings County’s own Natalie Silver earned the home side their second try of the afternoon seven minutes in and Windsor’s Erin Beazley’s conversion kick gave Acadia a 12-0 lead.
It was Taylor, backed by smart play and hard rucking from her teammates, who scored two tries to lead the perennial champs’ comeback. Sabrina McDaid’s kick converted Taylor’s second try, tying up the game 12-12 midway through the second half.
Just like in last year’s final in Charlottetown, the X-Women and Axewomen had to play a 20-minute overtime. St. F.X.’s Tasha MacKenzie made it across the try line after five minutes and the try was successfully converted by McDaid to finish the scoring.
“I came to win a banner with my team and that's what we got," Taylor said. "I'm so happy."
Video of season, game and tournament MVP Emma Taylor.
“We’re happy to be leaving with the championship,” St. F.X. coach Mike Cavanagh agreed. “It was a great game to watch. Full credit to Acadia, they played hard and had their chances.
“It was a dogfight,” the AUS coach of the year said. “It was almost a game of halves: they had the first half; I think we had the second half. Could’ve gone either way.”
The Axewomen looked dejected in their loss, after almost two hours of rugby in a cold rain, while their opponents celebrated.
“It is not the result we wanted, but I have never been so proud of a group of girls in my whole life,” Shannon White said of the Acadia rugby effort. White was named Acadia's player of the game.
"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," White said. "I am so proud of what they were able to accomplish.
“It’s really frustrating obviously,” Acadia coach Matt Durant said. His team has been second to X five years in a row. “It’s tough. To lose to them two years ago in overtime – it’s tough.
“We knew we were pretty close with them through the season, although the scores we put up against them weren’t very flattering,” Durant said.
Read more about the championship weekend.
Revisit the play-by-play on our live blog.
In a replay of last year’s finish – right down to the steady rain - the game was a 19-12 St. F.X. victory decided in overtime.
Early in a chippy first half, Axewoman flanker Veronique Russell was sent to the sin bin, leaving Acadia a player short for a 10 minute penalty. The home team seemed inspired by the penalty and Janna Slevinsky scored the first try of the game at 18 minutes in.
When her team was headed into the second half losing 5-0, St. F.X. Emma Taylor said she was "a little down.”
"Our captain (Catherine MacKeigan) who didn't get to finish the game, came in there and told us ‘we're not giving up, we're going to win this game,’” the AUS MVP said afterwards.
See more photos of the game here
Going into the second half up 5-0, the Axewomen had the crowd fired up. Kings County’s own Natalie Silver earned the home side their second try of the afternoon seven minutes in and Windsor’s Erin Beazley’s conversion kick gave Acadia a 12-0 lead.
It was Taylor, backed by smart play and hard rucking from her teammates, who scored two tries to lead the perennial champs’ comeback. Sabrina McDaid’s kick converted Taylor’s second try, tying up the game 12-12 midway through the second half.
Just like in last year’s final in Charlottetown, the X-Women and Axewomen had to play a 20-minute overtime. St. F.X.’s Tasha MacKenzie made it across the try line after five minutes and the try was successfully converted by McDaid to finish the scoring.
“I came to win a banner with my team and that's what we got," Taylor said. "I'm so happy."
Video of season, game and tournament MVP Emma Taylor.
“We’re happy to be leaving with the championship,” St. F.X. coach Mike Cavanagh agreed. “It was a great game to watch. Full credit to Acadia, they played hard and had their chances.
“It was a dogfight,” the AUS coach of the year said. “It was almost a game of halves: they had the first half; I think we had the second half. Could’ve gone either way.”
The Axewomen looked dejected in their loss, after almost two hours of rugby in a cold rain, while their opponents celebrated.
“It is not the result we wanted, but I have never been so proud of a group of girls in my whole life,” Shannon White said of the Acadia rugby effort. White was named Acadia's player of the game.
"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," White said. "I am so proud of what they were able to accomplish.
“It’s really frustrating obviously,” Acadia coach Matt Durant said. His team has been second to X five years in a row. “It’s tough. To lose to them two years ago in overtime – it’s tough.
“We knew we were pretty close with them through the season, although the scores we put up against them weren’t very flattering,” Durant said.
Read more about the championship weekend.
Revisit the play-by-play on our live blog.
