Head coach Graeme McGravie and the Concordia Stingers women’s rugby team appeared in their eighth consecutive Quebec conference championship on Saturday in Ottawa, but experience wasn’t enough to get them a title.
The Stingers had to settle for silver medals after coming up just short, losing 13-5 to the Ottawa Gee-Gees.
The Gee-Gees rolled through the regular season with a perfect 7-0 win-loss record. They finished first in Quebec and were the No. 5-ranked team in the CIS.
The Stingers finished third in the RSEQ with a 5-2 record, but upset the second-place Laval Rouge et Or in the semifinals. Concordia was ranked eighth in the CIS heading into the title game.
In their only meeting on Sept. 28, the Gee-Gees defeated the Stingers 30-7.
It was a hard-fought scoreless battle through the first half. Five minute into the second half Irene Patrinos scored a try to give Ottawa a 5-0 lead. She followed up with a penalty goal 12 minutes later, making the score 8-0.
Erika Ikonomopoulos scored a try to get Concordia back in contention with 16 minutes to play.
With 11 minutes left in the game Courtney Mastine scored for the Gee-Gees, making the score 13-5.
The score held and the Gee-Gees won their first ever RSEQ women’s rugby championship. They will represent the conference at the national championship Oct. 30-Nov. 2 at University of Guelph.
