VIKES, PRONGHORNS OFF TO HOT STARTS IN ABBOTSFORD

ABBOTSFORD, B.C. – The Victoria Vikes and Lethbridge Pronghorns once again find themselves on a collision course after opening-day action at the second stop of the Canada West Women’s Sevens Series, hosted by the University of the Fraser Valley.

The Vikes and Pronghorns met in the title game at the first sevens series event in Edmonton last month, with Victoria prevailing 35-7.

On Saturday in Abbotsford, both teams won their first three matches. They’re scheduled to play the final game of the round-robin tourney (1:10 p.m. PT), and the way it’s going, that one could once again be for all the marbles.

The Vikes ran their record to 9-0 in 2018 series play, defeating the Alberta Pandas (29-12), Thompson Rivers WolfPack (67-0) and Calgary Dinos (17-15) with Paige Farries and McKenzie Pusch notching four tries apiece. The Pronghorns, meanwhile, racked up wins over the UBC Thunderbirds (15-7), UFV Cascades (24-7) and TRU WolfPack (57-0), with Carolyn McKee leading the way with six tries.

In other action, the host UFV Cascades picked up their first-ever win in the series, defeating the Thompson Rivers WolfPack 27-15 in the opening match of the day behind a pair of tries and a convert from Mackenzie Fowler. Saturday marked the WolfPack’s debut, as they became the seventh Canada West member to compete in the sport.

The tournament concludes on Sunday, with games getting underway at 9 a.m. PT.

Saturday results

ROUND 1

Game 1: UFV Cascades 27, TRU WolfPack 15

Scoring summary:

UFV: 10-17: 27

TRU: 5-10: 15

• UFV try – #2 Mackenzie Fowler (convert missed) – 5-0

• UFV try – #5 Shalaya Valenzuela (convert missed) – 10-0

• TRU try – #9 Grace Campbell (convert missed) – 10-5

Half

• UFV try – #10 Mackenzie Braun (#2 Mackenzie Fowler convert) – 17-5

• UFV try – #2 Mackenzie Fowler (convert missed) – 22-5

• TRU try – #9 Grace Campbell (convert missed) – 22-10

• UFV try – #3 Meghan Wellis (convert missed) – 27-10

• TRU try – #7 Anna Morris (convert missed) – 27-15

Game 2: Victoria Vikes 29, Alberta Pandas 12

Scoring summary:

VIC: 19-10: 29

ALB: 7-5: 12

• VIC try – #5 Emily Belchos (#9 Kara Galbraith convert) – 7-0

• VIC try – #4 Paige Farries (convert missed) – 12-0

• ALB try – #25 Alanna Fittes (#5 Courtney Holtkamp convert) – 12-7

• VIC try – #4 Paige Farries (#9 Kara Galbraith convert) – 19-7

Half

• VIC try – #8 Gabby Senft (convert missed) – 24-7

• VIC try – #4 Paige Farries (convert missed) – 29-7

• ALB try – #12 Aly Andersen (convert missed) – 29-12

Game 3: Lethbridge Pronghorns 15, UBC Thunderbirds 7

Scoring summary:

LET: 5-10: 15

UBC: 7-0: 7

• LET try – #3 Carolyn McKee (convert missed) – 5-0

• UBC try – #6 Madison Gold (#4 Brooke Bazian convert) – 7-5

Half

• LET try – #5 Hannah Lopez (convert missed) – 10-7

• LET try – #5 Hannah Lopez (convert missed) – 15-7

ROUND 2

Game 4: Calgary Dinos 22, Alberta Pandas 10

Scoring summary:

CGY: 5-17: 22

ALB: 5-5: 10

• CGY try – #9 Taejah Thompson (convert missed) – 5-0

• ALB try – #12 Aly Andersen (convert missed) – 5-5

Half

• ALB try – #12 Aly Andersen (convert missed) – 10-5

• CGY try – #13 Vanessa Graham (#6 Lauren Petrillo convert) – 12-10

• CGY try – #11 Emmanuella Anye (convert missed) – 17-10

• CGY try – #12 Aly Andersen (convert missed) – 22-10

Game 5: Lethbridge Pronghorns 24, UFV Cascades 7

Scoring summary:

LET: 19-5: 24

UFV: 0-7: 7

• LET try – #3 Carolyn McKee (convert missed) – 5-0

• LET try – #6 Brittany Orr (#6 Brittany Orr convert) – 12-0

• LET try – #10 Genna Wright (#4 Caitlin Sears convert) – 19-0

Half

• LET try – #10 Genna Wright (convert missed) – 24-0

• UFV try – #13 Alex Motoc (#2 Mackenzie Fowler convert) – 24-7

Game 6: Victoria Vikes 67, TRU WolfPack 0

Scoring summary:

VIC: 29-38: 67

TRU: 0-0: 0

• VIC try – #7 Jennifer Appleby (convert missed) – 5-0

• VIC try – #14 Sasha Guedes (#10 Jess Neilson convert) – 12-0

• VIC try – #15 McKenzie Pusch (convert missed) – 17-0

• VIC try – #11 Julia Folk (convert missed) – 22-0

• VIC try – #13 Renee Gonzalez (#10 Jess Neilson convert) – 29-0

Half

• VIC try – #7 Jennifer Appleby (#10 Jess Neilson convert) – 36-0

• VIC try – #15 McKenzie Pusch (#10 Jess Neilson convert) – 43-0

• VIC try – #15 McKenzie Pusch (#10 Jess Neilson convert) – 50-0

• VIC try – #15 McKenzie Pusch (convert missed) – 55-0

• VIC try – #9 Kara Galbraith (#9 Kara Galbraith convert) – 62-0

• VIC try – #6 Madeleine Graham (convert missed) – 68-0

ROUND 3

Game 7: Alberta Pandas 44, UFV Cascades 0

Scoring summary:

ALB: 17-27: 44

UFV: 0-0: 0

• ALB try – #6 Alexa Martin (convert missed) – 5-0

• ALB try – #6 Alexa Martin (#10 convert) – 12-0

• ALB try – #14 Heidi Farley (convert missed) – 17-0

Half

• ALB try – #14 Heidi Farley (convert missed) – 22-0

• ALB try – #7 Karlie Tkachanko (#21 Lora Lee convert) – 29-0

• ALB try – #14 Heidi Farley (convert missed) – 34-0

• ALB try – #11 Jaimie Baybrook (convert missed) – 39-0

• ALB try – #23 (convert missed) – 44-0

Game 8: UBC Thunderbirds 50, TRU WolfPack 0

Scoring summary:

UBC: 17-33: 50

TRU: 0-0: 0

• UBC try – #14 Elizabeth Theemes-Golding (convert missed) – 5-0

• UBC try – #7 Ciara Malone (convert missed) – 10-0

• UBC try – #6 Madison Gold (#6 Madison Gold convert) – 17-0

Half

• UBC try – #10 Nicole Mallow (#4 Brooke Bazian convert) – 24-0

• UBC try – #14 Elizabeth Theemes-Golding (convert missed) – 29-0

• UBC try – #10 Nicole Mallow (#4 Brooke Bazian convert) – 36-0

• UBC try – #7 Ciara Malone (#11 Shoshannah Seumanutafa convert) – 43-0

• UBC try – #7 Ciara Malone (#11 Shoshannah Seumanutafa convert) – 50-0

Game 9: Victoria Vikes 17, Calgary Dinos 15

Scoring summary:

VIC: 12-5: 17

CGY: 10-5: 15

• VIC try – #2 Gurpreet Dhaliwal (convert missed) – 5-0

• CGY try – #9 Taejah Thompson (convert missed) – 5-5

• VIC try – #4 Paige Farries (#8 Gabby Senft convert) – 12-5

• CGY try – #12 Kelcey Leavitt (convert missed) – 12-10

Half

• VIC try – #2 Gurpreet Dhaliwal (convert missed) – 17-10

• CGY try – #12 Kelcey Leavitt (convert missed) – 17-15

ROUND 4

Game 10: Lethbridge Pronghorns 57, TRU WolfPack 0

Scoring summary:

LET: 24-33: 57

TRU: 0-0: 0

• LET try – #3 Carolyn McKee (convert missed) – 5-0

• LET try – #3 Carolyn McKee (convert missed) – 10-0

• LET try – #3 Carolyn McKee (#4 Caitlin Sears convert) – 17-0

• LET try – #3 Carolyn McKee (#4 Caitlin Sears convert) – 24-0

Half

• LET try – #8 Sydney De La Mare (#4 Caitlin Sears convert) – 31-0

• LET try – #12 Myranda Falardeau (#4 Caitlin Sears convert) – 38-0

• LET try – #11 Erin McFadden (#4 Caitlin Sears convert) – 45-0

• LET try – #12 Myranda Falardeau (#6 Brittany Orr convert) – 52-0

• LET try – #2 Hailey Driscoll (convert missed) – 57-0

Game 11: Calgary Dinos 56, UFV Cascades 0

Scoring summary:

CGY: 21-35: 56

UFV: 0-0: 0

• CGY try – #3 DaLeaka Menin (#8 Breanne Morgan convert) – 7-0

• CGY try – #9 Taejah Thompson (#8 Breanne Morgan convert) – 14-0

• CGY try – #4 Kasselle Menin (#8 Breanne Morgan convert) – 21-0

Half

• CGY try – #3 DaLeaka Menin (#8 Breanne Morgan convert) – 28-0

• CGY try – #5 Alyson MacDougall (#8 Breanne Morgan convert) – 35-0

• CGY try – #4 Kasselle Menin (#8 Breanne Morgan convert) – 42-0

• CGY try – #8 Breanne Morgan (#8 Breanne Morgan convert) – 49-0

• CGY try – #4 Kasselle Menin (#8 Breanne Morgan convert) – 56-0

Game 12: Alberta Pandas 24, UBC Thunderbirds 19

Scoring summary:

ALB: 7-17: 24

UBC: 12-7: 19

• ALB try – #11 Jaimie Baybrook (#5 Courtney Holtkamp convert) – 7-0

• UBC try – #11 Shoshannah Seumautafa (convert missed) – 7-5

• UBC try – #11 Shoshannah Seumautafa (#4 Brooke Bazian convert) – 12-7

Half

• ALB try – #11 Jaimie Baybrook (convert missed) – 12-12

• UBC try – #10 Nicole Mallow (#4 Brooke Bazian convert) – 19-12

• ALB try – #7 Karlie Tkachanko (#5 Courtney Holtkamp convert) – 19-19

• ALB try – #10 (convert missed) – 24-19

Tournament standings – Day 1

TEAM     WINS      LOSSES  TIES         POINTS

VIC           3               0               0               12

LET           3               0               0               12

CGY         2               1               0               9

ALB          2               2               0               10

UBC         1               2               0               6

UFV         1               3               0               7

TRU         0               4               0               4

NOTE: Teams are awarded four points for a win, two points for a draw, and one point for a loss.

Sunday schedule

9 a.m. – Lethbridge vs. Calgary

9:25 a.m. – Alberta vs. TRU

9:50 a.m. – Victoria vs. UBC

10:40 a.m. – Lethbridge vs. Alberta

11:05 a.m. – Calgary vs. UBC

11:30 a.m. – Victoria vs. UFV

12:20 p.m. – TRU vs. Calgary

12:45 p.m. – UBC vs. UFV

1:10 p.m. – Victoria vs. Lethbridge

About the Canada West Women's Rugby Sevens Series

2018 marks the second season of the Canada West Women's Rugby Sevens Series, which has been made possible thanks to Canada West's partnership with B2ten and Rugby Canada. 

Through their joint support, which will include scholarship opportunities for players at all six competing institutions, B2ten and Rugby Canada are committed to helping Canadian female athletes pursue their athletic careers, including an opportunity to progress to the national team. 

The Canada West Women's Rugby Sevens Series champion will be crowned Feb. 25 at the University of Victoria, as determined by cumulative series points. 

2018 Canada West Women's Rugby Sevens Series tournament dates: University of Alberta (Jan. 20-21), University of the Fraser Valley (Feb. 10-11) and University of Victoria (Feb. 24-25).

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