EDMONTON – The University of Calgary Dinos women's rugby team capped off a second consecutive undefeated season, beating the University of Alberta Pandas 52-12 on a chilly Saturday night at Foote Field in Edmonton.

With temperatures hovering right around freezing, both the Dinos and Pandas struggled to make ground early, with numerous knock-ons leading to scrums. This played into the Dinos' favour with their forwards able to make strong pushes opening up the field for their backs. The Dinos were able to break the tie in the 18th minute with Temitope Ogunjimi finding a hole and outrunning the Pandas defence for the first try of the game. Elysa Sandron successfully made the convert, and added a try of her own after a slick up and under kick, beating the Pandas defenders to the ball.

The Pandas, Sara Haring, would come back to score immediately after a Dinos penalty deep in their own territory. This switched the momentum in the Pandas' favour as they were kept pressure on the Dinos up until the end of the half. The Dinos defence was able to hold-up the ball on the try line keeping the score 12-7 at the end of the first half.

Head Coach Simon Chi applauded that defensive effort. "That was absolutely huge," he said. "In terms of a defensive effort, you're talking about a very tight game [at the time], U of A was being very scrappy and to keep them off the board there, we were fortunate to get off the hook there."

The second half would see the Dinos blow the game wide open, scoring five consecutive tries to put the game well out of reach for the Pandas. Ogunjimi and Sandron both scored on long runs, with Sandron successfully kicking six conversions on the night to add to her league-leading point total. Overall a total of five different Dinos – Ogunjimi, Sandron, Nikkita Bell, DaLeaka Menin, and Emily Tuttosi –scored in the game.

The Pandas added a late try, but it was a case of too little too late as the Dinos cruised to the victory, clinching the top seed in Canada West in the process.

Pleased with the result and undefeated season, Chi maintained that there is still some unfinished business for his team.

"We were in the same situation last year [being undefeated] and it didn't go our way,so right now we're focused on taking it one game at a time, working hard, and trying to play the best we can."

Chi Singled out Tuttosi for post-game praise.

"She was outstanding. She's not overly flashy; she's not going to score the 60-yard tries, but the stuff she does, especially in the cold weather, it wins games and she did a ton of that tonight."

The top-seeded Dinos will head down to Lethbridge next weekend for the Canada West Championship looking to capture their first-ever conference title and qualify for the CIS championship in Victoria.

SCORING SUMMARY
18' – CGY TRY – Temitope Ogunjimi (conversion by Elysa Sandron) – CGY 7-0
31' – CGY TRY – Elysa Sandron (no conversion) – CGY 12-0
34' – AB TRY – Sarah Haring (conversion by Sarah Farley) – CGY 12-7
41' – CGY TRY – Temitope Ogunjimi (conversion by Elysa Sandron) – CGY 19-7
46' – CGY TRY – Nikkita Bell (conversion by Elysa Sandron) – CGY 26-7
55' - CGY TRY - DaLeaka Menin (conversion by Elysa Sandron) - CGY 33-7
62' – CGY TRY – Elysa Sandron (conversion by Elysa Sandron) – CGY 40-7
64' – CGY TRY – Temitope Ogunjimi (conversion by Elysa Sandron) – CGY 47-7
74' – CGY TRY – Emily Tuttosi (no conversion ) – CGY 52-7
80' – AB TRY – Amee Svatos (no conversion) – CGY 52-12

-UC-