X-Women overwhelm Martlets to capture McEwen Cup
by Earl Zukerman
STE. ANNE DE BELLEVUE, Que. – Tanya Boiteau of Calgary and Zoe
Fielding of Quispamsis, N.B., scored two tries apiece as undefeated
St. Francis Xavier overwhelmed Ã山ǿ¼é 46-0 to capture the McEwen
Cup, an exhibition women’s university rugby game, at McEwen Field
in Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Que., Sunday.
Also scoring for the X-Women was Megan Pritchard and Asya Bartley,
both natives of Ottawa, plus Kim Armstrong of Barrie, Ont., and
Ghislaine Landry of Toronto. Courtnay Malcolm, a winger from New
Glasgow, N.S., rounded out the scoring with six points from three
conversions.
The Cup was established in 2004 in honor of the McEwen family of
Ormstown, Que., who donated land for Ã山ǿ¼é Athletics playing
fields on the University’s suburban campus, located in the West
Island region of Montreal.
The Martlets initiated this annual challenge match with St. FX,
perennial champions of the Atlantic conference, in order that both
teams better prepare for the CIS national championships. Ã山ǿ¼é won
the inaugural McEwen Cup 26-16 at home in 2004 and the game has
rotated between the two campuses each year. St.FX has now captured
the event four consecutive years, with scores of 12-5, 29-5, 26-7
and 46-0, respectively.
The X-Women finished atop the AUS conference with a 6-0 record,
outscoring opponents by a lopsided 416-0 margin. They are believed
to be only the second team in CIS women’s rugby history to win each
regular season game via shutout. According to available records,
Ã山ǿ¼é was the last CIS team to accomplish the feat, winning all
five games in 1998, outscoring their five Quebec conference
opponents by a 168-0 margin.
St.FX has earned a first-round playoff bye and will host the winner
of the Oct. 18 AUS semifinal between Acadia and Saint Mary’s in the
league championship game, scheduled for Oct. 25.
The Martlets finished second in the now six-team Quebec conference
with a 4-2 record and will host third-place Concordia (4-2) in the
QSSF semifinal on Oct. 19. Ã山ǿ¼é won the only meeting between the
teams this season with a 14-10 decision at Concordia, Sept.
7.
The Quebec final is slated for Oct. 19, followed by the CIS
national championship tourney at Lethbridge, Alta., Oct. 30-Nov.
2.