VICTORIA – Temitope Ogunjimi scored four tries as the University of Valgary Dinos held the Acadia Axewomen off the board until the final minutes to open the CIS women's rugby championship with a 42-10 victory Thursday at Wallace Field.
The win moves the third-seeded Dinos on to the semifinal on Friday at Centennial Stadium, where they'll meet the winner of Ottawa and McMaster. Acadia will play again on Saturday, matching up with the loser of that game.
Ogunjimi, named a first team All-Canadian Wednesday night, scored two tries in the first and two more in the second before coming off the field. Acadia's Sara Baxter ran in a pair of tries late to give the Axewomen their first points of the game but by that time it was too late, as Canada West champion Calgary ran away with the victory.
Both teams took some time to get going on Thursday, staying scoreless until just over 15 minutes in, when the Dinos got on the board with two quick tries.
Coralyn Cafaro ran it in first, bursting through the Acadia line to give the Dinos a 5-0 lead.
Elysa Sandron missed the convert but it wouldn't take the Dinos very long to get back on the board, as Ogunjimi cut through for her first try of the day to bring the score to 10-0. That try was the start of a big night for Ogunjimi.
"She's definitely a player that makes coaches look good," said Chi. "She does a lot of things and makes big plays just on her individual athleticism, and they came at an opportune time in the game. Credit to her as an athlete – she did those things on her own."
After missing her first two converts, Sandron nailed her next two—adding two points to tries from Taeja Thompson and Ogunjimi. That brought the score to 24-0 at the half.
Ogunjimi was back at it in the second half, scoring two straight tries to bring the score to 34-0. Teammate
Emily Tuttosi added a convert and Emma Netwon made a penalty goal before Acadia's Baxter could get her team on the board with two straight tries of her own.
The Dinos'
Vanessa Graham was named player of the game for the winning side, while Acadia's Angela Govier took those honours for the Axewomen.
The Dinos will look to continue their best-ever season in the U Sports semifinal Friday night against either Ottawa or McMaster. Kickoff goes at 5 p.m. local (6 p.m. MT), live on www.sportscanada.tv/usports.
SCORING SUMMARY
ACA: 0-10: 10
CGY: 24-18: 42
CGY Try –
Coralyn Cafaro (convert missed) - 5-0 CGY
CGY Try –
Temitope Ogunjimi (convert missed) 10-0 CGY
CGY Try –
Taejah Thompson (
Elysa Sandron convert) - 17-0 CGY
CGY Try –
Temitope Ogunjimi (
Elysa Sandron convert) - 24-0 CGY
HALF
CGY Try –
Temitope Ogunjimi (convert missed) - 29-0 CGY
CGY Try –
Temitope Ogunjimi – (convert missed) - 34-0 CGY
CGY Try –
Emily Tuttosi (convert missed) - 39-0 CGY
CGY PG –
Emma Newton - 42-0 CGY
ACA Try – Sara Baxter (convert missed) – 42-5 CGY
ACA Try – Sara Baxter (convert missed) – 42-10 CGY
Players of the Game
#7 Acadia – Angela Govier
#12 Calgary –
Vanessa Graham
CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE (All times Pacific Time)
Thursday, Nov. 3
12:00 Quarter-final 1: No. 3 Calgary 42 No. 6 Acadia 10
14:00 Quarter-final 2: No. 2 Ottawa vs. No. 7 McMaster
17:00 Quarter-final 3: No. 4 StFX vs. No. 5 Concordia
19:00 Quarter-final 4: No. 1 Guelph vs. No. 8 Victoria
Friday, Nov. 4
17:00 Semifinal 1: Calgary vs. Winner QF 2
19:00 Semifinal 2: Winner QF 3 vs. Winner QF 4
Saturday, Nov. 5
12:00 Consolation 1: Loser QF 1 vs. Loser QF 2
14:00 Consolation 2: Loser QF 3 vs. Loser QF 4
Sunday, Nov. 6
11:00 Fifth place
13:00 Bronze medal
15:00 Championship final
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