LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – Opening the 2017 Canada West women's rugby season, the Lethbridge Pronghorns tested the defending Canada West Champion Calgary Dinos early, but the reigning USPORTS Player of the Year DaLeaka Menin took over late in the first half to lead the Dinos to a 42-15 victory.

The Pronghorns scored in the opening minutes and held a 12-5 lead early but the turning point was late in the opening half when the Pronghorns went down a player on a yellow card and the Dinos scored 12 straight points to take a lead they would never relinquish.

Looking to make a statement early, the Pronghorns stormed out of the gate and hit pay dirt in the opening minutes. Abby Duguid touched the ball down to open the scoring. Returning after a year away from the program, Sarah Gordon kicked the convert for a 7-0 Pronghorn lead.

The defending Canada West Champion Dinos responded right back, Raven Lindgren pushed the ball over from a Dino maul. The try went unconverted.

With the Dinos down a player due to a yellow card of their own, Pronghorn scrum half Caitlin Sears forced a turnover deep in the Dinos end and made a great quick pass to spring Gordon for a Pronghorn try.

Again, the Dinos would respond and DaLeaka Menin would take over the game as she punched through the Pronghorns defence for her first of five tries on the night and cut the lead to 12-10 after a missed convert.

Now with the Pronghorns down a player, the Dinos took the lead, using a maul to push over the line. Menin touched the ball down for her second try of the match.

With the pronghorns still down a player, they tried to hold defensively but Menin was a force in the back end of the opening half, pushing across for her third consecutive try. Elysa Sandron made the convert to give the Dinos a 22-12 lead at the half.

The DaLeaka Menin show continued into the second half, scoring her fourth consecutive try to give the Dinos a 27-12 lead only minutes into the second half.

The Pronghorns were finally able to get back on the score board, ending 22 straight Dino points. Off a Dino penalty, Sarah Gordon kicked a penalty goal to cut the score to 27-15.

Menin scored her fifth try of the game to put the Dinos up 32-15 and Allison McDougal ended the run of Menin's tries with one of her own to add to the Dinos lead. Both converts were missed.

Temitope Ogunjimi rounded out the scoring, sprinting away from a slew of Pronghorn defenders down the far sideline and into touch for the Dinos eighth try.

The Pronghorns will head to the coast next weekend to face the Victoria Vikes and UBC Thunderbirds. The Dinos will host travel to Edmonton next Sunday to take on the Alberta Pandas.

SCORING SUMMARY
First half
Lethbridge – #5 Abby Duguid Try, Convert #10 Sarah Gordon 7-0
Calgary – #1 Raven Lingren Try, Convert missed – 7-5
Lethbridge – #10 Sarah Gordon Try, Convert missed – 12-5
Calgary - #3 DaLeaka Menin try, Convert missed – 12-10
Calgary - #3 DaLeaka Menin try, Convert missed – 15-12 
Calgary - #3 DaLeaka Menin try, Convert #15 Elysa Sandron – 22-12

Second half 
Calgary - #3 DaLeaka Menin try, Convert missed – 27-12
Lethbridge - #10 Sarah Gordon penalty goal – 27-15
Calgary - #3 DaLeaka Menin try, Convert missed – 32 -15
Calgary - #6 Allison Mcdougal try, Convert missed – 37-15
Calgary - #19 Temitope Ogunjimi try, Convert missed – 42-15

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