WOLFVILLE, NOVA SCOTIA - Their team manta is "As One." And the Guelph Gryphons women's rugby team certainly played like that throughout a memorable 2018 season. The Gryphons added another chapter to the program's storied history with a
39-14 win over the Queen's Gaels in the OUA Championship at Varsity Field Saturday, Oct. 20.
That victory completed a three-peat, which was also marked the eighth provincial banner in the past 11 years, and 16th overall in the quarter century of OUA women's rugby. The Gryphons now head to Atlantic Canada in search of the third national title in program history.
The
2018 U SPORTS Women's Rugby Championship, hosted for the first time by Acadia University, kicks off on Thursday (Nov. 1) at Raymond Field and concludes Sunday (Nov. 4) with the gold-medal final at 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT. Live-streaming is available on
USPORTS.LIVE. The Gryphons open up play with a Thursday afternoon national quarter-final against the University of Victoria Vikes. The match kicks off at 3:30pm ET. Gryphon fans can watch the game on campus with both Brass Taps and Gryphs Restaurant airing the games live.
Guelph once again ran the table and finished the regular season unbeaten atop the Shiels Division.
The Gryphons did it by overwhelming OUA opponents with a blend of creative, ever-evolving offence and the defensive grit that has also become a trademark of the side. Guelph's players not only love the offensive aspect of the game but relish the opportunity to initiate contact and break down the competition when they have the ball.
The multi-dimensional approach was on full display in the OUA postseason. The two-time defending champions traded tries early with the Russell Division-leading Brock Badgers in the OUA semi-final before running away to a one-sided 97-12 win. The dominance continued in the final and while Guelph squandered a couple opportunities early against Queen's, they built momentum and scored the first 29 points of the match to secure a third straight title.
While OUA success has come with regularity, the side has had a deep desire to perform better on the national stage. The conference championship was considered just one of the boxes ticked and as head coach Colette McAuley said after the win over Queen's, "we're not done yet."
Thursday, Nov. 1 (Quarter-finals)
- Calgary vs. Laval 10:30 a.m. ET
- StFX vs. Queen's, 1 p.m. ET
- Guelph vs. Victoria, 3:30 p.m. ET
- Ottawa vs. Acadia, 6 p.m. ET
Friday, Nov. 2 (Semi-finals)
- Semi-final #1, 3:30 p.m. ET
- Semi-final #2, 6 p.m. ET
Saturday, Nov. 3 (Consolation)
- Consolation semi-final #1,10:30 a.m. ET
- Consolation semi-final #2, 1 p.m. ET
Sunday, Nov. 4
- Consolation final, 10:30 a.m. ET
- Bronze medal game, 1 p.m. ET
- Gold medal game, 3:30 p.m. ET
Guelph Gryphons Team Bio:
Playoff finish: OUA Champions
Regular season / playoff records: 4-0 / 2-0
Last U SPORTS championship: 2011
Total U SPORTS championships: Two (1998, 2011)
Team offence: 1st OUA Shiels (68.5 PPG)
Team defence: 1st OUA Shiels (10.25 PAPG)
Team leaders (regular season)
Points: Alexandra Everett (55)
Tries: Alexandra Everett (11)
Conversions: Julia Schell (17)
Players to Watch
Julia Schell – Schell is one of the most accomplished players on the team and a former Shiels Division MVP. The fourth-year fly half from Uxbridge is fast, ferocious and also the main kicker for the team, having made an OUA-best 17 converts in the regular season. She missed the OUA sem-final with an illness but is back healthy, having scored a try in the championship match. Schell was named to the Shiels All-star team.
Alexandra Everett – Everett has been inspirational for the Gryphons this season. The fourth-year centre from Brockville, ON missed out on last season's championship match after tearing her quad. But she was force in her 2018 return, leading the OUA in tries with 11. She also scored in the championship match and is ready to perform on the national stage. Everett was named to the Shiels All-star team.
Emmanuela Jada – Jada has been an incredible addition to the program after joining the Gryphons last year. She has been moved to centre and can dominate matches with her blazing speed on offence and incredible defensive focus. The fourth-year Guelph native was second on the team in tries behind Everett, scoring seven during the regular season. She added three more against Brock, including the first two of the match, in the first and fifth minutes, respectively. Jada was named to the Shiels All-star team.
Talia Hoffman – Hoffman has emerged in recent weeks and her outstanding play led to McAuley install the second-year speedster into the starting lineup. It's paid off as Hoffman, who plays scrum half, has scored some massive tries, including a long run in the 45
th minute of the final that helped Guelph establish a 29-0 lead. Like her elite teammates, Hoffman has also thrived defensively and made some great tackles to prevent opponents from crossing the try line.
For more information on the rest of the field at the 2018 U SPORTS Women's Rugby Championship,
visit usports.ca.
