Kingston – In a rematch of the Canada West Championship game two weeks ago in Edmonton, the Lethbridge Pronghorn women's rugby team had to settle for a sixth place finish at the CIS Women's Rugby Championship after losing a close, hard fought battle with the Victoria Vikes, 27-24.
 
Nicole Ronsky scored two tries and Sonja Simmelink scored the other try, while Sarah Gordon converted all three tries and hit a penalty for the 'Horns.
 
"From the opening whistle to the closing whistle it was a monster effort today," said head coach Ric Suggitt. "It was nice to watch, humbling to watch them throw their bodies on the line in both the attacking and defense today."
 
"Once we finish getting our technical part of our game straighten away we are going to probably be a top team again."
 
Early into the contest, first time Canada West Champion Vikes pushed the 'Horns deep into their end on two separate occasions but the 'Horns solid tackling and defensive pushed held the Vikes at bay.
 
Following a Vikes knock on, Melissa Bass made a great individual run to relieve the Vikes pressure and a last second off load sprung second team All-Canadian Ronsky for the game's opening score and a 'Horns 7-0 lead.
 
The Vikes answered right back with Jess Neilson kicking a pair of penalty goals to cut the 'Horns lead to 7-6 and the Vikes continued the offensive push from there. In the 32^nd minute, the Vikes claimed their first lead of the game and started a see saw battle that would continue to the final whistle.
 
Pam Buisa pushed through to score her first of two tries on the day and Neilson hit the convert for a 13-7 Vikes lead.
 
In the dying seconds of the half, the 'Horns would regain the lead; Bailey Osberg created a turnover on a solid tackle and Ronsky sprinted away from all Vikes defenders to score her second of the day and the Gordon convert gave the 'Horns a 14-13 lead at the break.
 
Similar to the opening of the game, the Vikes pushed the 'Horns back on the their heels in the early going of the second half and after some strong defending from the Pronghorns, Jenn Appleby pushed through to flip the lead back to the Vikes 20-14.
 
Sarah Gordon hit a penalty goal to cut the Vikes lead back to three at 20-17 and set up a exciting finish to the game.
 
After being pinned deep into their own end of the field, runs from Bass and Ronksy and a well-placed kick from Gordon flipped the field position in favor of the 'Horns and their hard work was rewarded with Simmelink pushing the ball across the line and changing the lead once again, 24-20 Pronghorns.
 
With seven minutes remaining, Buisa broke a pair of 'Horns tackles and despite a great tackle at the end from a pursuing Kara Loewen, she touched the ball down. Neilson remained perfect in the kicking game, making another convert and giving the Vikes a 27-24 lead.
 
While the 'Horns made a great final push to try to win the game they could not find the elusive final try in the final six minutes to earn the victory.
 
"I really think that we left everything out there today and played to our full potential," said Pronghorn player of the game Nicole Ronsky. "We were super determined, it was hard to face those guys again today (Victoria Vikes) but I really feel we played the best we could."