LETHBRIDGE – In what turned out to be a defensive battle, a penalty kick in the final seconds of the game lifted the Calgary Dinos to an 8-7 win over the Lethbridge Pronghorns to advance to the Canada West final on Sunday.
 
Following a Pronghorn penalty in stoppage time, Isla Shill kicked a penalty goal to give the Dinos the lead for the first time on the day and keep the Dinos hope of a fourth consecutive Canada West title alive. The Dinos will also advance to the U SPORTS Championships in Ottawa.
 
The loss is a devastating one for the Pronghorns, who lead from the fourth minute and defended well all day but could not overcome penalties and handling errors to end the Dinos reign.
 
Calgary will face the UBC Thunderbirds at 1:00 pm on Sunday, while the Pronghorns will take on Victoria Vikes in the third place game at 11:00 am.
 
Lethbridge put some early pressure on the top seeded Dinos and were rewarded with an early try. Off a Calgary penalty, Savanna Collison was able to push through in the 4^th minute. Caitlin Sears made the convert to put the Pronghorns up 7-0.
 
Off a Lethbridge penalty and a quick tap, the Dinos pushed deep into the Pronghorns end in the 10^th minute. Off a scrum from the five yard line, Calgary pushed into the end zone but the Lethbridge defence was able to hold the ball up.
 
Another Pronghorns penalty led to a quick tap and 2018 Canada West MVP Kasselle Menin bulldozed her way in for Calgary's first score. With a miss on the convert, the Pronghorns remained in the lead by two points.
 
Penalties hampered both teams through the middle portion of the opening half and after a long stretch deep in the Dinos end, Calgary flipped the field aided by a pair of Lethbridge penalties and looked poised to score a second try, however, the Pronghorns were able to turn the Dinos over and push the ball back towards mid field.
 
In stoppage time, Calgary drove towards the Pronghorns touch in and off one final scrum but like the theme of the opening half a penalty halted the Dino momentum into halftime.
 
An early knock-on by Lethbridge put the Dinos in prime position to take the lead, but a turnover for the Pronghorns thwarted the early Dino offensive push.
 
Trading turnovers and knock-ons, the offensive attacks were limited through the opening 10 minutes of the half until the Pronghorns were able to string together a sequence of long runs and push the home side deep into Calgary's territory only to have a penalty turn the possession over at the Dino 10-yard line.
 
A pair of quality kicks from Calgary's Isla Shill changed the field possession again, this time in favor of the Dinos. The Dinos were able to pin the Pronghorns deep in their own side of the field but defensively the Pronghorns were able to hold the Dinos off.
 
The sides exchanged possessions back and forth right until the final minutes with the Dinos hemming the Pronghorns in their own end and setting up Shills' game winning kick.
 
Scoring Summary
CGY 5-3-8
LET 7-0-7
 
First Half
4' LET Try - Savanna Collison (convert Caitlin Sears) 7-0
13' CGY Try – Kasselle Menin (convert missed) 7-5
 
Second Half
80' CGY penalty – Isla Shill 8-7