Brooklyn Perry
MPP Photography

Pronghorn rugby no match for Vikes in third place game

10/20/2019 5:05:00 PM

LETHBRIDGE – While both teams suffered heartbreaking close losses in the Canada West semifinals on Friday, the Victoria Vikes put forth a nearly flawless game in the third place game, defeating the host Lethbridge Pronghorns, 51-14.
 
Two days ago, the Vikes were clipped 21-19 by provincial rival UBC Thunderbirds, while the Pronghorns suffered a truly heartbreaking one point loss on a final second penalty kick from the Calgary Dinos.
 
Maddy Aberg and Renee Gonzales were difference makers for Victoria, with Gonzales scoring two tries and Aberg was dangerous ball in hand, while kicking two penalties and making five converts in her final 15's game in a Vikes' uniform. 
 
Only three minutes in the Vikes opened the scoring. Following a strong run from Callie Harder deep into the Pronghorns end, Alexie Pusch finished off the play with a try right under the uprights. Maddy Aberg made the convert to put Victoria up 7-0.
 
Long field changing runs by Victoria continued to change the field position when the Pronghorns pushed into the Vikes side of the field.
 
Off a Pronghorn penalty, Aberg made a successful penalty kick from 28-yards out in the 18th minute to put the Vikes up 10-0 early.
 
Mistakes and penalties proved costly for the Pronghorns in the opening half. Off a Pronghorn penalty, the Vikes were able to get the ball outside to Renee Gonzales in the 25th minute and Gonzales raced in for Victoria's second try of the day and a 15-0 lead.
 
Starting to use the kicking game to attempt to spark the Pronghorns offence, Caitlin Sears put a pair of kicks out wide in an attempt to spring Hailey Driscoll, however, strong tackling including one out of bounds by the Vikes defence halted a Pronghorn surge.
 
Driving the Pronghorns backwards from 10-yards out, Victoria added to their lead with a second try from Gonzales three minutes shy of halftime and with a convert from Aberg the lead increased to 22 points.
 
In stoppage time, the Pronghorns finally found an answer. A yardage eating run by Genna Wright put the Pronghorns in a prime position to score. Savannah Collison finished of the play to get the Pronghorns on the board and a convert from Caitlin Sears cut the half time deficit to 22-7.
 
The second half started much like the first half with the Vikes back on the offensive. Following a stretch of Vikes pressure, Aberg offloaded the ball to Zoe Goodwin-Sutton for the Vikes fourth try.

Answering right back, Sears kicked the ball near the Vikes goal line and a fortuitous bounce backwards right into the hands Gwen Fillinger for a Pronghorns try in the 49th minute. Sears made the convert to cut the deficit to 13 points.
 
A Pronghorn penalty at the 15-yard line led to Aberg pushing the Vikes lead back above two converted tries with her second penalty kick of the afternoon.
 
Only minutes later, the Vikes continued their offensive onslaught, Madison Jumeau finished of the Vikes sequence and with another Aberg convert the Vikes lead bulged to 37-14.
 
Second half substitute Ella O'Reagan touched down another Victoria in the 71st minute and Paige Farries scored in the 74th minute, with Aberg making both converts to round out the scoring.

Following the Canada West Championship game, Canada West named the 2019 award winners and all-star team with a pair of Pronghorns making the All-Star team. Fifth-year back Hailey Driscoll and fourth-year prop Savanna Collison were named to the squad, a first time for both of the stand out Pronghorn Athletes.

2019 Canada West All-Stars:
 
  • Props
    • Savannah Collison / Lethbridge / 4 / Calgary, AB / Arts
    • Cassidy Jones / Calgary / 5 / Calgary, AB / Education
  • Hooker
    • Gillian Boag / UBC / 5 / Calgary, AB / Unclassified
  • Locks
    • Kasselle Menin / Calgary / 5 / Vulcan, AB / Medicine
    • Courtney Holtkamp / Alberta / 3 / Rimbey, AB / Kin., Sport & Rec.
  • Back row
    • Alyson MacDougall / Calgary / 3 / Calgary, AB / Education
    • Renee Gonzales / Victoria / 3 / Victoria, BC / Humanities
    • Emma Feldinger / UBC / 2 / Alexis Creek, BC / Kinesiology
  • Scrum half
    • Berlyn Seselja / Calgary / 3 / Surrey, BC / Kinesiology
  • Fly half
    • Breanna Aikens / UBC / 4 / Briercrest, SK / Science
  • Centres
    • Shoshanah Seumanutafa / UBC / 3 / Vancouver, BC / Arts
    • Maddy Aberg / Victoria / 5 / Calgary, AB / Social Sciences
  • Back three
    • Hailey Driscoll / Lethbridge / 5 / Lethbridge, AB / Arts & Science
    • Paige Farries / Victoria / 4 / Red Deer, AB / Science
    • Savannah Dubien / Alberta / 4 / Edmonton, AB / ALES

 
 
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