WOLFVILLE, Nova Scotia – You don't win big matches without setting goals. The Guelph Gryphons women's rugby team stroked another item off its extensive to-do list after the three-time OUA champions overwhelmed the Victoria Vikes 54-10 in a U SPORTS quarter-final Thursday afternoon in Wolfivlle, NS.
Fourth-year centre
Alexandra Everett has relished the opportunity to play in the postseason after missing the 2017 playoffs with a torn quad and the Wildlife Biology major from Brockville, ON played like it in Guelph's 2018 nationals debut. Everett was a force, making several big runs and touching down two times, while setting up several other scores in a Player of the Match performance. Fourth-year fly half
Julia Schell and first year scrum half
Talia Hoffman had two tries each, while
Claire Traversa and
Jasmine Ing also touched down. Fifth-year centre
Madison Brattan was a perfect 7-for-7 in conversions.
"It was a team win," Everett said after the game. "That's the way we play. It's all about team for us. We call ourselves the 'Gryphon family,' and we all play for each other."
Guelph has been dominant in conference play virtually every year but on the national stage, the side has sometimes underachieved. That wasn't the case in its U SPORTS opener, as the Gryphons started fast, absorbed pressure, and then blew the match wide open with a barrage of tries and 40 unanswered points in the second half.
Schell, a former Shiels Division Player of the Year, sparked the team with her speed and power, breaking several tackles en route to scoring Guelph's first two tries of the day. Schell ran the first one in from about 35 yards out but her second was an even more memorable effort in which she spun, bounced off tacklers, and busted through to the line.
Victoria had a penalty kick in between Schell's two outstanding plays and the Vikes responded to the second one by scoring their lone try of the game, which began with an excellent run from Jordyn Myers, who then pitched it to wing Gurp Dhaliwal near the left sideline. Dhaliwal's try and the subsequent conversion got the BC side to within four at 14-10. Victoria ramped up the pressure for the rest of the half but Guelph was able to absorb it and keep the narrow margin heading into the break.
Once Guelph regrouped, it was all over. The team was superior in all phases, playing with hunger and an unselfish approach. Everett scored her first moments after the restart and then quickly set up the fourth with a short offload to the speedster Hoffman. Everett cut through a couple Victoria defenders and got in again right up the middle from about eight yards out after an offload from Schell. Traversa, Hoffman, and Ing all added to the scoreline after that.
And while they were dynamic with the ball, Guelph got back to defending with the tenacity that has become a trademark of the program.
"Playing good defence comes first," said Everett. "And good defence leads to good offence."
It was a great win for the Gryphons, though there was some disappointment as Second Team All-Canadian centre
Emmanuela Jada had to leave the match early with a lower-body injury. She was involved in a tackle and after having trouble getting up, tried to give it a go before being forced out. She did not return.
It was Guelph's first U SPORTS quarter-final win since 2016, when it defeated the same Vikes side 33-27 in Victoria, BC. The Gryphons will play the Ottawa Gee-Gees, who defeated host Acadia 26-24, in the semi-final set for Friday, Nov. 2. Match time is 6 pm ET.
Scoring Summary
| Minute |
University |
Type of Score |
Player |
Convert |
Match Score |
| 13' |
Guelph |
Try |
J. Schell |
Good (Brattan) |
7-0 Guelph |
| 16' |
Victoria |
Penalty Kick |
M. Aberg |
|
7-3 Guelph |
| 19' |
Guelph |
Try |
J. Schell |
Good (Brattan) |
14-3 Guelph |
| 22' |
Victoria |
Try |
Dhaliwal |
Good (Aberg) |
14-10 |
| 37' |
Guelph |
Try |
A. Everett |
Good (Brattan) |
21-10 Guelph |
| 46' |
Guelph |
Try |
T. Hoffman |
Good (Brattan) |
28-10 Guelph |
| 48' |
Guelph |
Try |
A. Everett |
Good (Brattan) |
35-10 Guelph |
| 60' |
Guelph |
Try |
C. Traversa |
Good (Brattan) |
42-10 Guelph |
| '63 |
Guelph |
Try |
T. Hoffman |
Missed (Schell) |
47-10 Guelph |
| ' |
Guelph |
Try |
J. Ing |
Good (Brattan) |
54-10 Guelph |
Players of the Game
GUELPH – Alexandra Everett
VICTORIA – Gurp Dhaliwal
