X-Women defeat Huskies 35-7 in home opener
The Saint Mary's Huskies dropped their season home opener 35-7 to the defending conference champion St. Francis Xavier X-Women in AUS rugby play on Saturday at Huskies Stadium in Halifax.
The home opener for the Huskies was a rainy and windy affair due to a tropical storm. Even with less-than-ideal conditions, the Maroon and White opened the scoring. A penalty committed by the X-Women set up the Huskies scrum half Katherine Fairbrother (Saint John, NB) to bully her way in for the try in the opening minutes of the half, the conversion by fly half Lauren Maye (Lower Sackville, NS) helped put the Maroon and White up 7-0.
STFX responded with 14 straight points thanks to tries from prop Jessie Penney (Clarke's Beach, NL) and back row Skye Koyote (Duncan, BC). The converts from winger Katie Murphy (Millville, PE) aided the Blue and White to a 14-7 advantage heading into the half.
Scoring would continue in the second half for St. Francis Xavier X-Women. Prop Janet Kennedy (Ottawa, ON) crossed the try line twice to put the X-Women up 28-7 at the 42nd and 66th minute respectively. To cap off the scoring for the Blue and White was a try from prop Val VonMuehldorfer (Calgary, AB).
The X-Women took control of the game after the initial score from the Huskies with five unanswered tires to win by a final score of 35-7, with Janet Kennedy being named Player of the Game for STFX, while Huskies Katherine Fairbrother, was named Player of the Game for SMU.
The X-Women return home to Oland Stadium to compete with the UPEI Panthers on Sunday, September 15 at 2 p.m.
The Huskies take their show on the road next weekend to visit another conference foe in the Acadia Axewomen on Sunday, September 15 at 2 p.m.
SCORING SUMMARY:
SMU 7-0: 7
STFX 14-21: 35
First half:
SMU Katherine Fairbrother try (Lauren Maye convert) 8th minute
STFX Jessie Penney try (Katie Murphy convert) 21st minute
STFX Skye Koyote try (Katie Murphy convert) 28th minute
Second half:
STFX Janet Kennedy try (Katie Murphy convert) 42nd minute
STFX Janet Kennedy try (Katie Murphy convert) 66th minute
STFX Val VonMuehldorfer try (Katie Murphy convert) 77th minute
Players of the Game:
SMU: Katherine Fairbrother
STFX: Janet Kennedy
Legend:
Try: 5 points
Penalty goal: 3 points
Convert: 2 points
Recap by Connor MacKinnon / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics
Photos by Mona Ghiz / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics
