Lethbridge - For the second consecutive season, the Lethbridge Prongohrn women's rugby team has had thier hopes of a another conference title dashed by the Calgary Dinos falling 29-18 in the second of two Canada West semi-finals.

The Dinos beat the 'Horns last season 33-32  in Edmonton and put an end to the 'Horns run of six consecutive Canada West titles. The 'Horns will now face the UBC Thunderbirds, who lost 79-0 to the CIS #1 ranked Alberta Pandas. Kick-off for the third place game is scheduled for Sunday at 11:00am at the Univerity Community Sports Stadium. The Gold medal game between the Alberta Pandas and Calgary Dinos will follow at 1:00pm.

In only their fifth year of existence in Canada West rugby, it will be the Dinos second appearance in the conference title game. The Pandas beat the Dinos 20-12 in last year's championship game in Edmonton.
 
Relying on a balanced offensive attack, five different Dinos scored. Daleaka Menin, Ellen McGregor, Natasha Loucks, Janai Haupapa, Kathrine Procyshyn were all credited with tries and Kate Scotland was good on two of her five convert attempts. For the Pronghorns, Julia Seymour and Nicole Ronsky scored the two tries and Tiffany Wideen hit two penalty goals and a convert.
 
The Dinos stormed out of the gate, controlling the ball for long stretches of time and dominating the scrums, pushing the 'Horns deep into their own end and on their heels.
 
Following a good defensive stand by the Pronghorns, holding up the ball in the end zone, the Dinos punched the ball in only nine minutes into the game. Loucks was credited with the game opening try.
 
Menin pushed the lead to 10 a short time later, after a solid sequence of passing across the field and once Menin turned the corner outside of the 'Horns defenders, she could not be kept from the end line. Scotland hit her first of two converts to push the Dino lead to 12-0.
 
Down 12 points, the 'Horns showed some life and were finally able to push the Dinos back into their own end of the field and were rewarded with back-to-back penalty goals off the foot of Wideen to cut the Dino lead to 12-6.
 
Another won scrum by the Dinos deep into the 'Horns zone, led to a third Dinos first half try, this time McGregor touched the ball down for the Dinos and Scotland hit the convert to push the score to 19-6.
 
With the half winding down, the 'Horns responded with a try of their own, as a good sequence of passing led to Seymour breaking through for the score. With the convert attempt falling just short, the half time score sat at 19-11.
 
In the second half the teams traded early tries with Haupapa scoring for the Dinos and Ronsky for the 'Horns making the score 24-18 but the turning point of the game was yet to come.
 
Pushing forward and gaining some momentum the 'Horns pushed the ball dangerously close to the end zone but with 'Horns centre Lisa Hildebrand crossing the Dinos end line, Dino Elizabeth Mackinnon held the ball up, negating a 'Horns score.
 
A nemesis all day for the 'Horns with her field shifting runs, Haupapa was able to turn the field again with a long run to relieve the 'Horns pressure after the restart and Procyshyn put the game out of reach with a try with five minutes to play.


About Canada West Universities Athletic Association
Canada West is consistently the most decorated of the four conferences in Canadian Interuniversity Sport, winning 100 CIS national over the last 10 seasons. Comprised of 17 schools from the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, Canada West produces numerous major award winners and Academic All-Canadian student-athletes each year, with many going on to athletic success around the globe in pro leagues or events such as the Olympics, Paralympics or Universiade Games. canadawest.org / canadawest.tv / @cwuaa on Twitter
 
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