BURLINGTON, ON – For the third consecutive season, the No. 1 ranked McMaster Marauders and rival No. 2 Guelph Gyphons will meet looking cap off outstanding regular seasons with an OUA women's rugby championship title.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. from Ron Joyce Stadium in Hamilton, Ont. and fans can catch all the action on Friday night streaming live on OUA.tv.
There will be no lack of motivation for the Gryphons come Friday night. Not only are they competing for a conference title, for the returning players and veterans on the team, Friday night is an opportunity at some redemption. The Gryphons have lost to the Marauders in each of the last two OUA Finals, including a 21-13 setback last season on the Gryphons home field. Now, the Gryphons will look to return the favour and secure an OUA banner on Mac's homefield against the defending OUA and CIS champion Marauders.
Guelph enters Friday night's game looking to capture their 14th women's rugby title in program history and first since the 2012 season and if the regular season is any indication they have the offensive firepower needed to do so. In five games, the Gryphons scored an astonishing 503 points compared to just 12 against.
Like the Marauders, the Gryphons went a perfect 5-0 during the regular season and were led this year by fly half Julia Schell (Uxbridge, Ont.), who was recently named Shiels Division MVP and an OUA all-star. After being named Rookie of the Year a season ago, the Uxbridge, Ont. native led the conference this season with 76 points and finished tied for first with 12 tries.
As a result of their first place finish atop the Shiels Division, the Gryphons roster also features four other all-stars, all of which more than capable of taking over the game on Friday night. Fullback Alexandra King (Ottawa, Ont.) had six tries and 10 conversions for 50 points this season, while lock Devon Stober (Mississauga, Ont.) is an OUA all-star for a third straight years. Flanker Kylie Shaughnessy (Peterborough, Ont.) and flanker Alyssa McDonald (Guelph, Ont.) received the all-star nod for the first time in their careers.
In their quarter-final matchup against Waterloo, the Gryphons hung triple digits on the Warriors, booking a semifinal matchup against the No. 4 ranked Queen's Gaels. Against the defending CIS silver medalists, the Gryphons cruised to a 37-0 shutout to book their ticket to the final.
The Marauders were the team to beat in the Russell Division for a third straight season as they finished with an unblemished 5-0 record. McMaster averaged 53 points per game this season while allowing only 25 total points against. In their five wins, the Marauders really clamped down, shutting out the opposition twice, while holding two other opponents to single digits. The only team to score more than seven points against McMaster was the York Lions in a 42-13 loss.
Despite the graduation of 2015 CIS Player of the Year Cindy Nelles, McMaster picked up right where they left off. A big reason for that was the play of back row Sara Svoboda (Belleville, Ont.), who was recently named Russell Division MVP and an OUA all-star for the second time in her career, after she led the team in scoring.
If the Gryphons focus too much on Svoboda then the Marauders will make them pay as McMaster has four other all-stars on their roster as well. Back row Abi Moody (Toronto, Ont.) is an OUA all-star for a third consecutive season, while prop Colleen Irowa (Innisfil, Ont.) and back row Katie Svoboda (Belleville, Ont.), who tied with her sister for the team lead in tries, will represent the Marauders on the team in back-to-back seasons. Centre Brit French (Innisfil, Ont.) picked up a pair of tries for the Marauders this season and was named an all-star for the first time in her career.
Just like their opponent, McMaster enters Friday night's game not having allowed a single point against so far in the postseason, having held the University of Toronto Varsity Blues and Western Mustangs off the board over their first two games. However, with the high powered Gryphons coming to town that is likely to change.
Also for a third consecutive season, the Queen's Gaels and Western Mustangs will meet in the bronze medal game.
Both the Gryphons and Marauders have qualified for the U Sports Championship which is being hosted by the University of Victoria, Nov. 3-6.
