PETERBOROUGH, Ont. - The Seneca Sting won the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Women's Rugby Sevens Championship presented by belairdirect on Saturday, blanking defending champion Humber 15-0 in the gold medal match.
Three different members of the Sting, including second-year centre Melissa Cable (Warwick), first-year fly half Julia Fantin (Collingwood) and fifth-year scrum half Sarah Givens (Harrowsmith) all scored tries in the victory. Humber, which scored a league-high 531 points during the regular season, was shut out for the first time.
Seneca advance to the championship finale following a 26-12 win over host Fleming in the semi-finals. Fantin scored a pair of tries against the Knights while adding a convert. Cable also scored, as did eventual OCAA Championship MVP and Player of the Year Saffra Whitely-Hoffelner (Richmond Hill).
Seneca finished second in the regular season standings, earning a bye directly into the semi-finals. It is Seneca's first ever women's rugby provincial championship. The Sting were bronze medalists in the inaugural season of women's rugby sevens in 2016.
Silver medalist Humber earned its spot in the gold medal match with a narrow 19-17 win over Algonquin in the other semi-final. Third-year back Christina Branch (Oshawa) contributed a try and a convert, while second-year teammate Deandra Medford (Mississauga) also scored a try.
Loyalist secured its first women's rugby medal with a 15-10 win over Algonquin in the bronze medal match. First-year scrum Kierstyn Bennett (Wellington), first-year forward Emily Reed (Stirling), and second-year back Bailey Meraw (Belleville) all scored tries for the Lancers, who were the fifth seeds entering the championship tournament.
OCAA Championship MVP
Saffra Whiteley-Hoffelner, Seneca
OCAA Championship All-Stars
Deleshia Dixon, Algonquin
Jodie McKirdy, Algonquin
Michaela Knowles, Conestoga
Leah Meklensek, Conestoga
Jacinta Addai-Sarfo, Fleming
Cece Evans, Fleming
Christina Branch, Humber
Daniella Grant, Humber
Kierstyn Bennett, Loyalist
Bailey Meraw, Loyalist
Julia Fantin, Seneca
Sarah Givens, Seneca
Championship Website: www.ocaa.com/championships/wrug7/2017-18/index
Championship Schedule
Saturday, November 4
Game #1: Algonquin 22, Loyalist 0
Game #2: Fleming 17, Conestoga 12
Game #3: Humber 19, Algonquin 17
Game #4: Seneca 28, Fleming 12
Game #5: Algonquin 15, Conestoga 12
Game #6: Loyalist 27, Fleming 17
Bronze Medal Match
Game #7: Loyalist 15, Algonquin 10
Gold Medal Match
Game #8: Seneca 15, Humber 0
- OCAA -
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E-mail: bell-webster@ocaa.com