Guelph, Ont. – Every time the Gryphons and Marauders meet up on the rugby pitch, you can expect a hard-fougth, close battle.  Thursday afternoon at Alumni Stadium, they provided just that as the OUA rivals met up in the opening game of Pool B play for the women's rugby CIS Championship.  In the end, it was McMaster who narrowly escaped with a 15-13 victory.

In a re-match of the OUA Final, the two heated rivals took part in what was a physical first affair.  McMaster would open the scoring in the 20^th minute on a try from fifth year winger Kailyn Jones (Port Colborne, Ont.).  In the 23^rd minute, Emily Cowell (Spencerville, Ont.) was given a yellow card and the Gryphons were able to capitalize with McMaster forced to play one player short for 10 minutes.
 
In the 24^th minute, Alexandra King (Ottawa, Ont.) would split the uprights from 25-metres out for a penalty kick trimming McMaster's lead to 5-3.  With good support from Shannon Spurrell (Haley Station, Ont.), the Gryphons would score their first try of the match in the 31^st minute when Rita Charest-Pekeski (Barrie, Ont.) broke through the McMaster line.  The Gryphons led 10-5 at halftime.
 
In the second half, Sara Svoboda (Belleville, Ont.) would show why she is one of the most highly touted rookies in the country.  Svoboda, a member of the Canadian women's U-20's at the Nations Cup, would make a great cut and burst through the Guelph line for a try in the 61^st minute to give McMaster a 12-10 lead.
 
With great back-and-forth action taking place all afternoon, the Gryphons would take a one point lead after King's second penalty kick of the match, but Guelph's 13-12 lead would not hold up.  In the dying moments of the match, McMaster was awarded a penalty deep in Gryphon territory. Stephanie Black (Oakville, Ont.) would make no mistake from 15-metres out, giving the Marauders a nail-biting 15-13 victory. 
 
After the game, McMaster head coach Shawn Allen referred to the match as "good hard rugby where both teams had tonnes of positives…we were both under pressure at all times.  It came down to key decisions and well executed plays."
 
Gryphons head coach Colette McAuley said "it was not the way we wanted to start the Championship, but it is also not how we plan on finishing it.  There is still time for us to make a statement and it was a great effort by our team today."
 
Sara Svoboda was selected player of the game for McMaster.  Daria Keane received the same honour for Guelph.
 
The Gryphons will be back in action Friday afternoon at 1:30pm versus the Ottawa Gee-Gees.  McMaster will be off Friday and will then take on the Gee-Gees on Saturday afternoon.

Overall, it was a thrilling start to the CIS Championships with both games on Thursday coming down to the wire.  In earlier action, the sixth seeded Western Mustangs upset the top seeded Alberta Pandas 22-19.
 
Official championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/wrugby/index    
 
SCORING SUMMARY
Gue 10-3: 13
Mac 5-10:  15
 
 
First half
McMaster – Kailyn Jones try 20^th (convert no good) - (GUE 0 - MAC 5)
 
Guelph – Alexandra King penalty kick 24^th - (GUE 3 – MAC 5)
Guelph – Rita Charest-Pekeski try 31^st (Alexandra King convert) - (GUE 10 – MAC 5)
 
Second half
McMaster – Sara Svoboda try 61^st (Stephanie Black convert) - (GUE 10 – MAC 12)
Guelph – Alexandra King penalty kick 78^th minute (GUE 13 – MAC 12)
 
McMaster – Stephanie Black penalty kick 80^th minute (GUE 13 – MAC 15)
 
 
Players of the game
McMaster: Sara Svoboda (Belleville, Ont.)
Guelph:  Daria Keane (Sarnia, Ont.)
 
Legend:
Try:  5 points
Penalty goal:  3 points
Convert:  2 points
 
 
POOL STANDINGS, SCHEDULE & RESULTS
 
Pool A preliminary round
                       GP       W        L         T          PF        PA      PTS
1. Western        1          1         0          0           22         19         4
2. StFX            0          0          0          0           0           0          0
3. Alberta         1          0          1          0          19         22          1
 
 
Pool B preliminary round
                       GP       W        L          T          PF        PA       PTS
1. McMaster     1          1          0          0          15        13        4         
2. Ottawa         0          0          0          0          0          0          0
3. Guelph         1          0          1          0          13        15        1
 
NOTE 1: A win is worth 4 points and a tie 2 points.
NOTE 2: 1 bonus point is awarded for scoring 4 tries or more in a game.
NOTE 3: 1 bonus point is awarded for a loss by 7 points or less.
 

Thursday, Oct. 30

10:30 Pool A: Alberta 19, Western 22
13:30 Pool B: McMaster 15 vs. Guelph 13
 

Friday, Oct. 31

10:30 Pool A: Alberta vs. StFX (CIS-SIC.tv)
13:30 Pool B: Guelph vs. Ottawa (CIS-SIC.tv)
 

Saturday, Nov. 1

10:30 Pool A: Western vs. StFX (CIS-SIC.tv)
13:30 Pool B: McMaster vs. Ottawa (CIS-SIC.tv)
 

Sunday, Nov. 2

10:00 Fifth place: 3^rd Pool A vs. 3^rd Pool B (CIS-SIC.tv)
12:00 Bronze medal: 2^nd Pool A vs. 2^nd Pool B (CIS-SIC.tv)
14:00 Championship final: 1^st Pool A vs. 1^st Pool B (CIS-SIC.tv)