Women drop exhibition match against Seawolves
The Mount Allison Women’s rugby team took on University of New Brunswick Saint John (UNBSJ) Seawolves this past Sunday on Park Street Field in exhibition play. The opposing team traveled from Saint John to play in their third and final game of the fall, challenging the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) for a spot in the league for the 2014-15 season.
The Seawolves came out with a strong side, dominating a younger Mt. A team in scrums, and finding holes in their backfield. The Mounties adjusted their line-up and began playing a more defensive, organized game. However, they could not recover from their halftime deficit, and UNBSJ came out on top with a 49-12 victory. Sydney Phelan and Sydney Mann scored tries for the Mounties, with Mann adding two points with a convert.
Although the Mt. A side suffered a tough loss in an injury-riddled game, forward captain Whitney Callaghan stayed positive.
“It was a good chance for our new players to gain some valuable experience. We will take the loss as an opportunity to grow, and work on our skills for our upcoming game against DalAC,” she said.
The team had an opportunity to show off their rookie side, with big tackles from Erin Bonisteel and Michelle McLaughlan, who both made their first ever appearance for the Mounties on Sunday. Other promising new faces to watch for this season include Dael Taekema, Kelly Foran, Cat Bannon, and Anna Gores.
The Mounties are looking forward to welcoming the UNBSJ team into the ACAA next year. Mann commented that “it gave us a hint at what our league will look like next year if they join and bring some heavier competition.”
When asked about his team’s bid to enter the ACAA next season, Coach Jamie Hare of the Saint John side was enthusiastic.
“I’m excited, we’re excited. I just hope we can keep interest up and get enough girls out to practice next year,” Hare said. The team has been struggling to keep numbers up since last fall when the club was first formed, despite highly skilled players. Many of their players are current or former New Brunswick provincial players, and also compete in the senior NB women’s league in the summer.
The Mounties look to continue their regular season winning streak when they take on the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus Rams on October 8, at 2pm on Park Street Field. This game will likely be the determining factor on who gets home field advantage in the ACAA finals in November.
