VICTORIA – Looking to improve on a fifth place finish in the opening Canada West Sevens Series event, it took extra time and a dramatic finished but the Lethbridge Pronghorns were able to accomplish that feat, finishing third at the Victoria sevens tournament this weekend.
Tied at 12 and in an extra period, Pronghorn back Sam Ganske stole the ball and raced 60 metres to score the game winning try. Erin McFadden kicked the convert to make the final 19-12.
In the third place game, the Pronghorns opened the scoring and held a 12-7 lead at half on a pair of Genna Wright tries. McFadden hit one convert. However, the Pandas scored the lone try in the second half to force overtime.
"We are pleased with how the girls responded after the first leg in Edmonton," said Pronghorn Head Coach Graeme Moffatt. "Performance is often a reflection of preparation and the girls have worked hard over the last couple weeks and full credit to them for the improvements they have made."
"We look forward to the final stop in Vancouver in two weeks time."
On the first day of the tournament, the Pronghorns opened the day with a narrow 15-14 win over the Calgary Dinos. McFadden and Sara Cline scored first half unconverted tires to hold a 10-7 lead, while Ganske was the finisher again for the Pronghorns, scoring the game's final try to give the Pronghorns the come from behind victory.
In game two, the Pronghorns ran into host and the top sevens team in Canada West, the Victoria Vikes and dropped a 26-5 decision. Keegan Brantner scored the lone try in the loss.
The Pronghorns rebounded in the final game of day one with a convincing 39-5 win over the Fraser Valley Cascades to punch their ticket to the semi-final round. Tory Clements bookend a pair of tries from Rebecca Powell to give the Pronghorns a 24-0 lead at the break. Erin McFadden converted two of the Pronghorns four tries. In the second half, Ruby McRae and Sam Ganske picked up tires before Powell picked up her third score of the game.
Sunday started with a tough semi-final match up the UBC Thunderbirds, who finished second at the first sevens stop in Edmonton in January and the Pronghorns didn't have answer for the T-Birds, falling 27-0.
The Pronghorns will now begin preparing for the final tournament of the Canada West Sevens Series, hosted by the UBC Thunderbirds in Vancouver, February 25
th and 26
th.
Game 3: Lethbridge (15) vs Calgary (14)
Scoring summary:
|
1 |
2 |
T |
| LET: |
10 |
5 |
15 |
| CGY: |
7 |
7 |
14 |
CGY try - #5 Julia Omokhuale (#9 Taejah Thompson convert) 7-0 CGY
LET try - #2 Sara Cline (convert missed) 7-5 CGY
LET try - #8 Erin McFadden (convert missed) 10-7 LET
HALF
CGY try - #5 Julia Omokhuale (#9 convert Taejah Thompson) 14-10 CGY
LET try - #12 Samantha Ganske (convert missed) 15-14 LET
Game 8: Victoria (26) vs Lethbridge (5)
Scoring summary:
|
1 |
2 |
T |
| VIC: |
19 |
7 |
26 |
| LET: |
0 |
5 |
5 |
VIC try - #7 Krista Scurfield (#6 Summer Blackmore convert) 7-0 VIC
VIC try - #1 Chanelle Edwards-Challenger (convert missed) 12-0 VIC
VIC try - #12 Madison Jumeau (#6 Summer Blackmore convert) 19-0 VIC
HALF
VIC try - #7 Krista Scurfield (#10 Alexie Pusch convert) 26-0 VIC
LET try - #3 Keegan Brantner (convert missed) 26-5 VIC
Game 11: Lethbridge (39) vs Fraser Valley (5)
Scoring summary:
|
1 |
2 |
T |
| LET: |
24 |
15 |
39 |
| UFV: |
0 |
5 |
5 |
LET try - #14 Tory Clements (convert missed) 5-0 LET
LET try - #11 Rebecca Powell (convert missed) 10-0 LET
LET try - #11 Rebecca Powell (#8 Erin McFadden convert) 17-0 LET
LET try - #14 Tory Clements (#8 Erin McFadden convert) 24-0 LET
HALF
LET try - #10 Ruby McRae (convert missed) 29-0 LET
UFV try - #13 Hannah Bilmer (convert missed) 29-5 LET
LET try - #12 Samantha Ganske (convert missed) 34-5 LET
LET try - #11 Rebecca Powell (convert missed) 39-5 LET
Game 15: British Columbia (27) vs Lethbridge (0)
Scoring summary:
|
1 |
2 |
T |
| UBC: |
15 |
12 |
27 |
| LET: |
0 |
0 |
0 |
UBC try - #14 Piper Logan (convert missed) 5-0 UBC
UBC try - #6 Savannah Bauder (convert missed) 10-0 UBC
UBC try #6 Savannah Bauder (convert missed) 15-0 UBC
HALF
UBC try - #7 Sadie Gluvic (#5 Shoshanah Seumanutafa convert) 22-0 UBC
UBC try - #12 Olivia Sarabura (convert missed) 27-0 UBC
Bronze Medal Match: Lethbridge (19) vs Alberta (12) (OT)
Scoring summary:
1 2 OT F
LET 12 0 7 19
ALB 7 5 0 12
LET try - #6 Genna Wright (#8 Erin McFadden convert) – 7-0 LET
ALB try - #23 Cassie Jorgenson (#11 Athea Volpe convert) 7-7
LET try - #6 Genna Wright (convert missed) 12-7 LET
HALF
ALB try - #23 Cassie Jorgenson (convert missed) 12-12
OT
LET try - #12 Samantha Ganske (#8 Erin McFadden convert) 19-12 LET
