Axewomen set to host Panthers in AUS semifinal showdown

(WOLFVILLE, N.S.) The defending AUS champion Acadia Axewomen look to punch their ticket to another conference final when they host the UPEI Panthers tonight in the semifinal of the 2025 Bell AUS Women's Rugby Championship.

Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. AT at Raymond Field in Wolfville, N.S.

Acadia earned hosting rights by finishing second in the regular season standings with a 4-2-0 record. UPEI secured the final playoff berth in third place with a 2-3-1 mark.

The Axewomen held the edge in both regular season clashes: a 28-14 road win in Charlottetown on Sept. 13 and a dominant 48-10 victory at home on Oct. 10.

Acadia head coach Matt Durant's squad will look to rely on that consistency and home‐field energy to carry them forward. But the Panthers enter the semifinal under new leadership: this is the first season for head coach Curtis Lauzon, who has stepped in to guide the program's push this postseason. Lauzon's fresh perspective and adjustments during the season will be under the spotlight tonight as UPEI seeks to reverse its head‐to‐head fortunes.

Beyond bragging rights, tonight's semifinal has high stakes. The winner advances to face the first-place STFX X-Women (5-0-1) in the AUS final next Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 6 p.m. AT in Antigonish, N.S.

And perhaps most critically, both AUS finalists will qualify for the 2025 CGIS U SPORTS Women's Rugby Championship presented by Rec Room, held Oct. 29 to Nov. 2 at UBC's Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver. With two national berths on the line, tonight's semifinal promises to be a hard-fought contest.

Both AUS playoff games are available via live stream on AUStv.