“For me, it’s personal”
The Gee-Gees women’s rugby faced off their cross-town rivals Carleton Ravens on Saturday afternoon. Going into the game, the team was fresh off a 115-0 win against McGill, and undefeated in the regular season, looking to carry the momentum into the RSEQ semi-finals.
After a one sided game, and a staggering three tries scored by fifth-year Gee Ketsia Kamba, they took their semi-final matchup 62-12, advancing to the RSEQ championship against Laval and earning them a spot at the national championship in PEI.
Early on the Gees started the scoring with a try from their try leader Anna Dodge, putting them up 5-0. However, it would not be long from Carleton as their winger poached a pass and took it 60 yards into the try zone, the kick was good and Carleton regained the lead 7-5.
The Gees responded with a maul which pushed them within five yards of the Carleton try zone, it was second row Ketsia Kamba pushing through for a try, with a conversion from Aurora Bowie putting the Gees up 12-7.
Once again for the Gees, Dodge plowed through the Ravens for another try, with a Bowie conversion the Gees were up 19-7. One minute later, the Gees once again with a try from back row Tylo Borsboom, increasing the score to 24-7.
After a Gees scrum, the ball was played quickly down the line to speedy winger Victoria Hough for another try, adding another five points for the Gees. With three minutes remaining in the half it was Kamba once again scoring a try; with a conversion from Bowie they were up 36-7 at the end of the half.
Starting the second half, the Gees asserted more of their dominance, holding up the Ravens on their attack, quickly taking the ball towards the Ravens zone, for her third of the game it was another Kamba try, the conversion from Bowie put the Gees up 43-7.
With more than 25 minutes of play without a point from either team, the Carleton front line was ambitious to score, they were getting close to the Gees try zone and eventually slammed it down for the Ravens second try, decreasing the Gees lead to 43-12.
The Gees were still in the driver’s seat to take the semi-final matchup, with a little over 10 minutes of play remaining possession was of the essence. After some rapid passing down the Gees back row, it was full back Sydney Noseworthy earning a try, putting up five more for the Gees.
Shortly after, the Gees would attempt to break the Ravens’ line in close for a try, and eventually prop Deborah Oyetoran broke through for yet another Gees try, the conversion put the score at 55-12. To put icing on the cake in extra time, first-year Nev Dubois took home yet another try, with a conversion from Hough the Gees would take the game 62-12.
Kamba had an insane game, racking up three tries for the squad. “Carleton wanted to give us a punch in the first minute,” said the 2023 U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian. “And kudos to them they always have strong players but at the end of the day we have a great team, we always say we are one team. We were good on the bounce back after they scored, we had a few good runs.”
Kamba continued: “For me, it’s personal, my scores were off my teammates setting me up, and we were able to just roll, roll, roll.” After a one sided semi-finals game against the Ravens, they will take on Laval — ranked third in the nation — in the RSEQ finals for the six consecutive time. The Gee-Gees will attempt to win back-to-back championships at Matt Anthony Field on Saturday at 1 p.m. Get your tickets here.
The win also earns them a spot in the national championship. The tournament begins on Oct. 30 in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
