BELLEVILLE, Ont. - The Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Women's Rugby Sevens Championship will take place on Saturday at Loyalist College in Belleville, Ont.
Six teams will take the pitch in the hunt for this year's title, including the Algonquin Wolves, Durham Lords, Humber Hawks, host Loyalist Lancers, St. Lawrence Surge and Seneca Sting. The field is based on the top six teams in the regular season standings.
The top two teams (regular season champion Durham and St. Lawrence) earned byes into the semi-finals, while the remaining four teams compete to join them. The opening two matches will determine the other two semi-finalists.
Winners of the semifinals compete in the gold medal match, while losing teams play for the bronze medal. Losing teams in the opening two matches play in a consolation final.
All games will be streamed on OCAA LIVE.
Durham Lords (14-0, 1st OCAA)
Last year the Durham Lords became the first team to complete a perfect OCAA season, winning all 20 matches including two at the championship.
This year, the Lords are looking to match the feat (albeit with only 14 regular season wins due to a shortened schedule). Durham has not lost a sanctioned OCAA match since the 2021 OCAA gold medal match.
Durham outscored the opposition a whopping 538-12 during the regular season, led by second-year back Emily Cooper's (Guelph) OCAA-high 29 tries for 145 points.
St. Lawrence Surge (11-3, 2nd OCAA)
The St. Lawrence Surge hold the bragging rights as most improved team of 2023 with six more victories from a season ago (with four less matches being played).
Failing to make it out of the quarter-finals last year, the Surge will automatically play for an OCAA medal on Saturday. St. Lawrence has never finished in the top three at a women's rugby sevens championship.
Third-year player Allesha Arsenault (Kingston) was second in OCAA scoring during the regular season with 20 tries and three converts totalling 106 points.
Algonquin Wolves (10-3-1, 3rd OCAA)
The Algonquin Wolves join the Lords and Surge as the only teams to hit double digits in victories, however, they will need to win a quarter-final match against the Seneca Sting to advance to the medal round.
First-year back Doriane Jean-Paul (Ottawa) is the Algonquin team scoring leader with 15 tries for 75 points.
The Wolves have reached the podium at three of the past four championships, winning it all in 2019.
Loyalist Lancers (6-7-1, 4th OCAA)
The Loyalist Lancers earn an automatic entry into the championship as host, but would have made it on their own merit with a fourth-place finish.
The Lancers have seen a four-win improvement from a season ago, and hope to thrill their home fans on Saturday with a chase to an OCAA medallion. Loyalist's last medal was bronze in 2017.
First-year back Ryan Fitzgerald (Trenton) led all Lancers during the regular season with 52 points on four tries and 16 converts.
Humber Hawks (6-7-1, 5th OCAA)
The Humber Hawks have also seen improvement from a year ago, winning three more games compared to 2022. Another win will see the Hawks advance to the medal round.
Second-year wing Mia Berry (Etobicoke) was the top scorer on the Hawks this season with eight tries for 40 points.
Humber is two years removed from their last OCAA women's rugby sevens championship.
Seneca Sting (4-9-1, 6th OCAA)
The Seneca Sting will look to play the role of Cinderella at this year's championship.
Second-year scrum half Angelina Jahshan (East Gwillimbury) was fourth in OCAA scoring during the regular season with 13 tries and seven converts totalling 79 points.
Seneca's last medal was bronze in 2019. The Sting were the OCAA champions in 2017.
Photo Credit: Sasha Sefter
Championship Website: www.ocaa.com/wrug7
Live Webcast: www.ocaa.com/ocaalive
Saturday, October 29
Game #1: Humber vs. Loyalist - 10 a.m.
Game #2: Seneca vs. Algonquin - 10:30 a.m.
Game #3: Winner Game #1 vs. Durham - 11:30 a.m.
Game #4: Winner Game #2 vs. St. Lawrence - 12 p.m.
Consolation Final
Game #5: Loser Game #1 vs. Loser Game #2 - 12:30 p.m.
Bronze Medal Match
Game #6: Loser Game #3 vs. Loser Game #4 - 1:30 p.m.
Winning team presented OCAA Bronze Medal at conclusion of match
Gold Medal Match
Game #7: Winner Game #3 vs. Winner Game #4 - 2:15 p.m.
OCAA Gold and Silver Medals presented at conclusion of match
- OCAA -
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Ontario Colleges Athletic Association
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E-mail: bell-webster@ocaa.com