The Concordia Stingers gave the mighty McGill Martlets all they could handle in the women’s provincial rugby final.
Unfortunately it wouldn’t be enough as the women saw their season come to an end in a 30-0 loss.
Despite being the heavy under dogs, the Maroon and Gold came out looking poised to upset a McGill team that has destroyed all of their opponents up to that point. Including a convincing 41-0 victory over Concordia just two weeks ago.
The first half saw the Stingers at their best as they put on an impressive display of teamwork.
They dominated play with a suffocating defence and a determined offensive attack.
Early pressure by the Stingers put them inches away from scoring their first points against McGill but they were turned away by a solid defensive wall at the goal line.
The only points of the half came from a pair of McGill penalty kicks that gave them a 6-0 lead.
Nonetheless, the Stingers still had the game within reach after a tightly contested first half, surprising McGill fans and players alike. Unfortunately, that’s as close as the visitors would get.
The Martlets regained their form in the second half and crushed any Stingers’ hopes for glory. They were a team on a mission, a team with something to prove.
McGill scored four tries in the final forty minutes to win the game and take home the provincial championship.
Despite the heart-breaking loss, Stinger captain Sommer Christie came off the field with her head held high, proud of her team’s efforts. “We never gave up, that’s why I like playing on this team,” Christie said.
She also commented on her team’s outstanding play in the first half recognizing that their inability to score inches away from the end zone was a blown opportunity that could have changed the outcome of the game. “It would have definitely built our momentum,” Christie said.
The Stinger veteran went on to explain how McGill managed to run away with the game in the second half and leave her team in the dust. “They didn’t get as frazzled by us like they did in the first half. They came out strong and put in a few fast subs,” she said.
Despite the game’s outcome the women’s rugby team wore the Stinger colors with pride. They displayed grit, determination, and a whole lot of class.
