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The Ottawa Gee-Gees are national champions for the first time. A 20-10 win over the Laval Rouge on Sunday saw them lift the Monilex Cup as Canada’s top university women’s side. The win was as much a battle of attrition as it was rugby, with the champions forced to play three times across four days in abysmal weather conditions. Below-zero temperatures and a snow-covered pitch delayed several kickoffs and crippled attacking play.
Anne-Charlotte Beaulieu opened the scoring for Laval in the final with a 3rd-minute penalty goal, but Ottawa would take the lead with two tries in the late stages of the first half through Breanna Phillipps and Dria Bennett. Laurie Houle got one on the board for Ottawa early in the second half, and Beaulieu’s conversion draw the scores level. The rest of the day would be Ottawa’s, however, as Danielle Erdelyi gave her side the lead in the 55th minute and a second for Phillipps wrapped things up just before full time.
En route to the final Ottawa smashed Acadia by 65-5 in the Quarter Finals. A bizarre Semi Final saw the Gee-Gees overcome a 15-3 deficit against the Calgary Dinos to draw level on full-time and then score 17 unanswered points in extra time to make the final. Laval meanwhile made it through with surprising ease, defeating Guelph by 35-5 and then shutting out defending champions St. FX by 23-0 in the Semis.
St. FX would rebound to claim the Bronze with a 22-12 win over Calgary. Two Consolation Semi Finals were played but the Consolation Final was cancelled due to the poor conditions, with the second Consolation Semi played on Sunday rather than Saturday. Ottawa’s Dria Bennett was awarded the tournament MVP award.
QUARTER FINALS
Calgary 41 – 5 Queen’s
Ottawa 65 – 5 Acadia
Guelph 5 – 35 Laval
St. FX 39 – 12 Lethbridge
SEMI FINALS
Calgary 15 – 32 Ottawa
Laval 23 – 0 St. FX
CONSOLATION SEMI FINALS
Queen’s 38 – 10 Acadia
Lethbridge 12 – 34 Guelph
BRONZE FINAL
Calgary 12 – 22 St. FX
GOLD FINAL
Laval 10 – 20 Ottawa
