RECAP: #5 Women’s rugby clinches spot at U SPORTS Nationals, RSEQ Final

The Gee-Gees are hoping seven will indeed be lucky.

For the seventh straight season, the Gee-Gees women's rugby team are heading to the RSEQ Championship game and the U SPORTS National Championship, having clinched their berth at both with a 37-7 win over the Université de Montréal Carabins Friday night at Matt Anthony Field.

Second year Conflict Studies and Human Rights student Meredith Sirrs scored a pair of tries for the Gee-Gees.

"Our goal tonight was to play for Donut and Ondo, and win us the right to play four more games," said Gee-Gees head coach Jen Boyd, referencing graduating seniors Taylor Donato and Alexandra Ondo. "This is all we've been talking about for two years, and here we are. It's been a long wait." 

Both graduating seniors found paydirt in the second half of what was most likely their final game at Matt Anthony Field. 

"It's pretty emotional, but also exciting," said Ondo, a Gatineau, Que., product. "We came into the game wanting to fix all the little things we were lacking in other games. It's good to see we showed up and that our practices from the week paid off."

"They've been a gift in my life personally, a gift to women's rugby and a gift to the University of Ottawa," said Boyd of Donato and Ondo. "They're incredible young women and role models on and off the field. It's been a blessing to have them in my life."

Claire Gallagher and Anna Dodge scored first half tries for the Gee-Gees. Gallagher also booted a penalty.

Ottawa will aim for their seventh straight RSEQ Championship against the winner of the Laval-Carleton semi-final. The title match is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 5 (6 p.m. kickoff) and will be played at the Université de Laval.

The 2021 U SPORTS National Championship runs from Nov. 10-14 and is being hosted by Queen's University in Kingston, Ont.