The Concordia Stingers women’s rugby team lost two games at the CIS national championship tournament in London, Ont., but went down fighting.
“We played very well,” said head coach Graeme McGravie after Friday's games. “It was a fantastic performance from everyone, and we all feel good about the effort.”
In the first game the Stingers lost 24-12 to the Guelph Gryphons. Concordia had tries from Kim Whitty and Jennifer Rosenbaum. Patricia Lapierre had the convert. Jacey Murphy paced the OUA bronze-medallist Gryphons with three tries while Brittany Sammut added one.
Concordia led 7-5 at the half after Whitty tied the game in the final 10 minutes of the period and Lapierre booted the convert for the two-point advantage.
Rosenbaum, who would be named the Stingers’ player of the game, scored a minute into the second frame to give the QSSF champions a 12-5 lead. However, an experienced Guelph side dug in and scored three tries, two of them converted, in the final 20 minutes to earn the victory.
Concordia was back in action again a couple of hours later – this time facing the CIS defending champions, the St. Francis Xavier X-Women.
The QSSF champion Stingers came out tough in the first half, overpowering the X-Women and leading 5-0 at the midway mark. The Concordia try came five minutes before halftime when Robin Hunter broke through the St. Francis Xavier defence.
The lead didn’t hold and the Stinger eventually lost 14-5.
Concordia will play the Waterloo Warriors for fifth place Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.
