Canada claims series win over USA with second Colorado victory

Canada secured a Pacific Four series win over the USA with a 26-13 victory in an all-action contest at Infinity Park on Friday evening. It was the second test of the week in Colorado following Monday’s 15-9 result for the visitors. Both teams now play two matches overseas to close out the year.

The Eagles came out with determination to start the game and took advantage of an errant clearance kick from Julia Schell which resulted in an offside penalty. Kate Zackary opted for an attacking lineout and the captain herself broke from the back of the maul to score the first try, converted by Gabby Cantorna.

From the restart the USA immediately conceded their own offside, and Emily Belchos found the corner with her touch-finder. The forwards crashed ahead until Sophie de Goede punch over from close range, the powerful No8 converting her own to level the scores.

Just moments later Canada were in for a second score. Brittany Kassil’s offload and soft hands from Laura Russell put Courtney Holtkamp away down the left sideline. The long-striding flanker galloped home from halfway, fending off the challenge of McKenzie Hawkins for a highlight-reel finish.

Cantorna would land a penalty to close the gap but another try would soon come for the Canadians. de Goede pinched a lineout throw and two phases later she found a gap on the fringe and nearly made the line herself. The support was on hand and Alex Ellis had the strength to reach the line.

The score would stay 19-10 to the visitors at the break and the Eagles would finish the half with only 14 players. Ill-discipline saw Elizabeth Cairns set to the sin bin for taking Justine Pelletier out without the ball only moments after Nick James had been penalised for the same offense.

Despite the numerical disadvantage it was the USA who scored first in the second half. A scrum penalty gave Cantorna a second penalty attempt and she made no mistake. Soon after Laetitia Royer was shown yellow after repeat infringements from Canada.

A DaLeaka Menin turnover gave de Goede a long-range shot at the posts but it was pushed just left of the uprights. At the other end of a frantic period of play Bulou Mataitoga slipped through two defenders only to drop the ball in a last-ditch tackle from Brianna Miller.

Royer’s debut was further soured when the second row’s shoulder connected with Saher Hamdan’s head as the USA hooker was being pulled down by Miller. The decision was a second yellow and with it red, leaving Canada with 14 players for the remaining 17 minutes of the contest.

Again it was the shorthanded team who were instead lifted as the final say would go to the Canadians. Karen Paquin, now assuming the captaincy, took a short pass from Tyson Beukeboom and stepped back inside to fool three defenders before brushing off the tackle attempts of two more to score a superb individual effort.

The USA now depart for Dublin where they play Ireland next Friday, November 12. Canada head to London for a match against the world’s top team England on Sunday, November 14.

 

SCORING

USA 13
Tries – K. Zackary (2′)
Cons – G. Cantorna 1/1 (3′)
Pens – G. Cantorna 2/2 (28′, 44′)
YC – E. Cairns (38′)

CANADA 26
Tries – S. de Goede (5′), C. Holtkamp (8′), A. Ellis (30′), K. Paquin (69′)
Cons – S. de Goede 3/4 (6′, 31′, 70′)
Pens – S. de Goede 0/1
YC – L. Royer (50′)
RC – L. Royer (63′)

 

TEAMS

USA
1 Hope Rogers (16 Catie Benson 75′), 2 Saher Hamdan, 3 Nick James (17 Charli Jacoby 48′), 4 Jenny Kronish (19 Hallie Taufo’ou 48′), 5 Kristine Sommer, 6 Elizabeth Cairns (20 Kathryn Johnson 56′), 7 Rachel Johnson, 8 Kate Zackary (capt.), 9 Carly Waters (21 Olivia Ortiz 61′), 10 Gabby Cantorna (18 Maya Learned 71′), 11 Bulou Mataitoga, 12 Katana Howard (22 Amy Talei-Bonte 58′), 13 Alev Kelter, 14 Ilona Maher, 15 McKenzie Hawkins (23 Kayla Canett 63′)

CANADA
1 Brittany Kassil (17 Mikiela Nelson 47′), 2 Laura Russell (capt.) (16 Veronica Harrigan 47′), 3 Alex Ellis (19 DaLeaka Menin 47′), 4 Laetitia Royer, 5 Tyson Beukeboom (18 Emma Taylor 71′), 6 Courtney Holtkamp, 7 Karen Paquin, 8 Sophie de Goede, 9 Justine Pelletier (22 Brianna Miller 52′), 10 Emily Belchos, 11 Paige Farries, 12 Nakisa Levale (21 Alex Tessier 52′), 13 Marie Thibault, 14 Sarah-Maude Lachance (23 Renee Gonzalez 56′), 15 Julia Schell

Not used: 20 Gabrielle Senft

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Kat Roche (USA)
Assistants: Amelia Luciano (USA) & Michael Jones (Canada)
TMO: Amanda Cox (USA)