AUS Rugby Playoffs: Acadia advances to AUS final following win over Panthers
Axewomen to meet STFX for AUS title
WOLFVILLE – The Acadia Axewomen trailed a pair of times in the opening half of Wednesday’s AUS semifinal, but were able to overpower the UPEI Panthers en route to a 36-21 victory.
Charlotte Branchflower (Halifax, NS) opened the scoring with a penalty goal in the eighth minute. Sarah Gunn (Scotsburn, NS) scored a try, with a Sarah Grant (Melrose, NB) convert to put Acadia ahead 7-3 in the 17th minute.
Branchflower kicked two more penalty goals in the opening half to regain the lead at 9-7, but that was the last time the Panthers held the lead in the match as Acadia opened up a 17-9 lead by halftime.
Ebehiremen Otoikhine (Calgary, AB) added to the Axewomen lead, their biggest of the match just seven minutes into the second half. The teams then traded trys for the remainder of the game as Emma MacLean’s (Cole Harbour, NS) try for UPEI was matched by Jenna Gallant (Valley, NS) before Emily Duffy’s (Saint John, NB) try was countered by Juliette Matsukubo (Ottawa, ON).
Matsukubo led the Acadia offence with 10 points, while Branchflower led UPEI with 11.
Next Wednesday the Axewomen travel to Antigonish to face STFX in the AUS championship game, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. The champion will advance to the U SPORTS championship, hosted by UPEI from October 30 to November 3.
SCORING SUMMARY
ACA: 17-19: 36
STFX 9-12: 21
1st HALF
UPEI – Charlotte Branchflower penalty goal, 8th minute
ACA – Sarah Gunn try, 17th minute (Sara Grant convert)
UPEI – Charlotte Branchflower penalty goal, 24th minute
UPEI – Charlotte Branchflower penalty goal, 31st minute
ACA – Holly Robinson try, 37th minute
ACA – Juliette Matsukubo try, 40th minute
2nd HALF
ACA – Ebehiremen Otoikhine try, 47th minute (Sara Grant convert)
PEI – Emma MacLean try, 53rd minute (Charlotte Branchflower convert)
ACA – Jenna Gallant try, 64th minute (Sarah Grant convert)
PEI – Emily Duffy try, 69th minute
ACA – Juliette Matsukubo try, 72nd minute
Players of the Game:
ACA – Lucinda Breau
UPEI – Carla Stewart
- Release and photo provided by Acadia Athletics