Martlets turn on the heat to beat Concordia, earn berth at CIS Nationals

MONTREAL -- Team captain Brianna Miller of Pointe Claire, Que., accounted for 16 points as the sixth-ranked McGill women's rugby team outlasted No.4 Concordia 41-34 to claim the Christine Regimbald trophy as RSEQ conference champions, Friday night.

It was the 10th league title for the Martlets -- their first since 2005 -- who advance to the CIS national championship in Quebec City, Oct. 31 to Nov. 2.

It may have been a cool night, in near freezing temperatures at Concordia Stadium, but the Martlets were on fire, dethroning the defending league champion Stingers, who had won nine straight head-to-head battles, dating back to the last McGill victory over their cross-town rivals, a 14-10 decision at Concordia on Sept. 7, 2008.

Concordia, which finished atop the RSEQ standings with a perfect 7-0 record, entered the Quebec final holding four of the last six league banners.

"Everything clicked," said an exuberant Miller, a 22-year-old physical education senior who won Game MVP honours after scoring one try, converting four others and adding a penalty goal. "We knew we could do it. We believed in ourselves and the system our coaches laid out for us. If we follow the game plan, we're going to do great things at Nationals."

McGill's foot speed was too much for the Stingers to handle with Caroline Suchorski, a science junior from Kirkland, Que., running in for a pair of tries. Sophomore Deanna Foster of Caledon, Ont., veteran Casey Thorburn of St. John's, Nfld., and senior Caroline Binette of Montreal, added one try apiece.

Binette, whose try proved to be the game-winning tally, suffered a season-ending broken clavicle with about 10 minutes remaining in the game.

The Martlets led 24-12 at halftime and 38-15 midway through the second stanza but a determined Concordia squad mounted a valiant comeback, pushing their way into contention with a couple of late tries. 

Hughanna Gaw, a senior from Elgin, Que., paced the Stingers with a pair of tries. Singles went to Solange De Blois, Samantha Ewing and Jenna Giuliani. Rounding out the scoring was rookie Alexandra Ste. Marie with nine points on three conversions and a penalty goal.

The McGill women will take an 8-1 record into the Nationals, including a 2-0 mark in post-season play. They are expected to practice on Monday evening at 6 p.m., and depart Wednesday morning for Quebec City. The six-team, four-day tourney begins on Thursday but the Martlets, as league champions, are not expected to play before Friday.

MARTLET MURMURS: The RSEQ all-stars and award winners were formally presented after the game. Brianna Miller, who led the league in scoring, earned all-conference honours and was named as the league MVP. Joining her on the league all-star team was Deanna Foster. Concordia had six selections, while  Laval and Montreal had two apiece, Sherbrooke, Carleton and Ottawa each had one honoree. Rookie of the year honours went to Concordia's Alexandra Tessier. The citizenship award was merited by Sherbrooke's Cynthia Jade-Renaud and coach of the-year honours went to Concordia's Graeme McGravie.

SCORING SUMMARY
McGill 41, Concordia 34
(RSEQ Championship at Concordia Stadium)

1. McG: TRY Caroline Suchorski (conversion missed), 2:00, (McGill leads 5-0)
2. CON: TRY Hughanna Gaw (conversion missed), 9:00, (tied 5-5)
3. McG: TRY Casey Thorburn (conversion: Brianna Miller), 23:00. (McGill 12-5)
4. McG: TRY Brianna Miller (conversion: Brianna Miller), 26:00 (McGill 19-5)
5. CON: TRY Hughanna Gaw (conversion: Alexandra Ste. Marie), 37:00, (McGill 19-12)
6. McG: TRY Caroline Suchorski (conversion missed), 39:00 (McGill 24-12)
 
2nd half:
7.  CON: PEN. GOAL Alexandra Ste. Marie, 6:00, (McGill 24-15)
8.  McG: TRY Deanna Foster (conversion: Brianna Miller), 9:00 (McGill 31-15)
9.  McG: TRY Caroline Binette (conversion: Brianna Miller), 13:00 (McGill 38-15)
10. CON: TRY Jenna Giuliani (conversion: Alexandra Ste. Marie), 20:00, (McGill 38-22)
11. CON: TRY Samantha Ewing (conversion: Alexandra Ste. Marie), 36:00, (McGill 38-29)
12. McG: PEN. GOAL: Brianna Miller, 39:00, (McGill 41-29)
13. CON: PEN. GOAL: Alexandra Ste. Marie, 40:00+ (McGill 41-34)


SOURCE:

Earl Zukerman
McGill Sports Info Office
514-398-7012
 

McGill	#	Tries	Converts	DropGoals	PenGoals	PTS	MVP
Miller, Brianna	0	1	4	0	1	16	1
Suchorski, Caroline	0	2	0	0	0	10	0
Binette, Caroline	0	1	0	0	0	5	0
Foster, Deanna	0	1	0	0	0	5	0
Thorburn, Casey	0	1	0	0	0	5	0
Ardilouze, Amelie	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Barber, Emily	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Beattie-Dagenais, Noala	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Beaudin, Susanna	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Challice, Emily	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Chou, Hsiang	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Della Porta, Bianca	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Dunn, Krista	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Kelly, Shannon	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Lai, Emily	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Lightstone, Katrine	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Marcotte, Audrey	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Phelan, Kelly	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Power, Mary-Elizabeth	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Rist, Maxine	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Saabas, Erica	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Sabiston, Milda	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Walsh, Kayleigh	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
White, Julia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Concordia	#	Tries	Converts	DropGoals	PenGoals	PTS	MVP
Gaw, Hughanna	0	2	0	0	0	10	1
Ste. Marie, Alexandra	0	0	3	0	1	9	0
Ewing, Samantha	0	1	0	0	0	5	0
Giuliani, Jenna	0	1	0	0	0	5	0
Akkermans, Jasmine	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Beaudry, Jessica	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Bennett, Samantha	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Bragg, Lianne	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Briscoe, Ciara	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Brunette, Dara	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Chevrier, Tara	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Dagenais, Saby	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
De blois, Solange	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Hickson, Emily	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Largan, Darcie	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Lee, Sabre	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Leonard, Danielle	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Martin, Kelsey	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Moncion, Emerise	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Pollice, Laura	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Scanlon, Sarah	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Stuckey, Cara	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Syragakis, Katerina	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Tessier, Alexandra	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Wood, Melissa	0	0	0	0	0	0	0