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Canada defeated the USA 15-9 in front of an appreciative and vocal crowd at Infinity Park on Monday evening. It was the first match of their two-test Pacific Four series with the rematch to be played at the same venue on Friday evening.
Bad luck struck the Canadians just four minutes in when flanker Janna Slevinsky was forced off with a leg injury. She would be replaced by Sophie de Goede, and the former Saracens star stepped up with an impressive Player of the Game performance.
Both sides were keen to get stuck into the action after a two-year test hiatus. There were some heavy collisions early as neither could quite get a foothold in the other team’s territory.
It was a tap penalty from Brianna Miller inside Canada’s half that sparked the first try. Quick hands from Sara Kaljuvee kept the move alive and freed Sabrina Poulin down the left side. The ball was recycled and with the Eagles defense on the retreat a wide ball to Renee Gonzalez saw the winger speeding home for a try on debut. Miller’s conversion attempt fell just short.
Megan Foster responded with a well-struck penalty goal to open the USA’s account, but she pushed a second attempt at the posts wide right. At the other end sustained pressure yielded a second try for Canada through Karen Paquin, the flanker loitering in the backline for the finish. de Goede stepped up to take the conversion for a 12-3 halftime lead to the visitors.
Just two minutes into the second half and Foster landed a three-pointer. She would tack on her third successful kick just before the hour mark, but de Goede struck with a penalty of her own to keep the Canadians out of kicking reach.
With time winding down the USA put immense pressure on the Canadian line but Maya Learned was held-up in-goal. Loose passing saw another opportunity go to waste and the visitors would hold on to earn a penalty and kick the ball dead on full-time.
SCORING
USA 9
Pens – M. Foster 3/4 (22′, 42′, 57′)
CANADA 15
Tries – R. Gonzalez (18′), K. Paquin (35′)
Cons – B. Miller 0/1, S. de Goede 1/1 (36′)
Pens – S. de Goede 1/1 (60′)
TEAMS
USA
1 Hope Rogers (18 Nick James 71′), 2 Joanna Kitlinski (16 Saher Hamdan 62′), 3 Charli Jacoby (17 Maya Learned 54′), 4 Jenny Kronish (19 Kristine Sommer 54′), 5 Alycia Washington, 6 Rachel Ehrecke (20 Elizabeth Cairns 61′), 7 Rachel Johnson, 8 Kate Zackary (capt.), 9 Carly Waters (21 Olivia Ortiz 56′), 10 Megan Foster (22 Joanne Fa’avesi 68′), 11 Sarah Levy, 12 Gabby Cantorna, 13 Alev Kelter, 14 Tess Feury (23 Ilona Maher 56′), 15 McKenzie Hawkins
CANADA
1 Olivia DeMerchant (capt.) (17 Brittany Kassil 58′), 2 Emily Tuttosi (16 Gillian Boag 47′), 3 DaLeaka Menin (18 Alex Ellis 61′), 4 Courtney Holtkamp (19 Tyson Beukeboom 56′), 5 Emma Taylor, 6 Janna Slevinsky (20 Sophie de Goede 4′), 7 Karen Paquin, 8 Gabrielle Senft, 9 Brianna Miller (21 Justine Pelletier 68′), 10 Alex Tessier, 11 Sabrina Poulin, 12 Sara Kaljuvee (22 Nakisa Levale 68′), 13 Paige Farries, 14 Renee Gonzalez (23 Sarah-Maude Lachance 67′), 15 Emily Belchos
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Julianne Zussman (Canada)
Assistants: Amelia Luciano (USA) & Michael Jones (Canada)
TMO: Chris Assmus (Canada)
