(UPDATED VERSION)

MONTREAL -- It wasn't quite Custer's Last Stand at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876, but it was pretty darn close to being a modern-day version of that epic tale. Alex Pantis of Beaconsfield, Que., scored 10 points as McGill held on to defeat Bishop's 27-20 in a RSEQ men's rugby semifinal at Percival Molson Stadium on Saturday.

The victory, McGill's fifth in a row, earned a berth in the provincial championship next Sunday, where they will face Montreal in a rematch of last year's thrilling finale, when the Redmen won on the last play of the game.

Bishop's pressed in the closing minutes and even managed to push the ball across McGill's try line but were unable to touch it down. The Redmen defence stood strong, held the would-be scorer in an upright position and turned the ball over, ending the game a minute later with a ticket to the league championship contest.

Pantis, a 5-foot-9, 225-pound economics freshman, scored two second-half tries to spark the McGill comeback, after the Gaiters had jumped to a 17-10 advantage early in the second half. His first try came in the 45th minute to bring the home side within two points, and he tallied what proved to be the game-winner in the 57th minute, which was successfully converted by teammate Andrew Manson.

Manson, a 5-foot-10, 190-pound exchange student from the University of Edinburgh, scored seven points, converting two tries and adding a penalty kick.

Kinesiology senior Jordan Nimat of Sherbrooke, Que., scored a converted try for the Redmen in the 16th minute, and Rodwell Nick Bent, a graduate student in neuroscience from Ottawa, closed the scoring with an unconverted try in the 66th minute.

Bishop's took a 14-10 lead into the intermission, courtesy of tries from Gerald Lafond and Josh Bray in the 12th and 40th minutes of play.

BU's offence was led by Bray, a biology sophomore from Lennoxville, Que., who scored a game-high 15 points on the strength of one try, two conversions, and a pair of penalty kicks. He was involved in all four Gaiters' scoring plays, including a successful conversion of his own try.

Trailing 27-20 in the dying minutes, Bishop's battled back and pressured on deep into Redmen territory however were unable to put any points on the board. The Gaiters continued to fight forward as the clock struck the 80^th minute. They controlled possession again deep into McGill territory, earning a line-out five metres from their try zone. Sustained pressure and a penalty later Bishop's was able to get the ball into McGill's try zone but were held up.  The McGill defence continued to stand strong and forced a Bishop's knock-on that ultimately ended the game and the Gaiters season.

McGill, which went 6-1-0 in the regular season and is now 1-0 in the playoffs, will battle for the league title on Nov. 13 at UdeM's Terrain Vincent d'Indy in a 2 p.m. kickoff. The Carabins qualified for the final with a 26-15 victory over ETS.
 
SCORING SUMMARY
 
FIRST HALF:
1. Bishop's - Gerald Lafond TRY (conversion by J. Bray), 12:00 (Bishop's 7-0)
2. McGill - Jordan Nimat TRY (conversion by A. Manson), 15:00 (7-7)
3. Bishop's - Josh Bray TRY (conversion by J. Bray), 40:00 (Bishop's 14-7)
4. McGill - Andrew Manson PENALTY KICK, 40:00 (Bishop's 14-10)

SECOND HALF:
5. Bishop's - Josh Bray PENALTY KICK, 41:00 (Bishop's 17-10)
6. McGill - Alex Pantis TRY (conversion failed), 44:00 (Bishop's 17-15)
7. Bishop's - Josh Bray PENALTY KICK, 51:00 (Bishop's 20-15)
8. McGill - Alex Pantis TRY (conversion by A. Manson), 56:00 (McGill 22-20)
9. McGill - Rodwell Bent TRY (conversion failed), 65:00 (McGill 27-20)
 

FOR FURTHER INFO CONTACT:
Kirsten Whelan or Earl Zukerman
McGill Sports Info Office
(514) 398-7012