Team improves to 5-0 on the season with 25-19 win
Photo: Hannah Clarke
The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees women’s rugby team has become the number one-ranked team in the country, and, with their stellar 5-0 record this season, it should be no surprise.
Coming into a massive game at home against then seventh-ranked Concordia, the Gees needed a statement win to prove they deserve a place among the nation’s elite. With this motivation, the Gees came through in a dramatic match that came down to the wire, until a late push gave the Gees a 25-19 win.
The Stingers came to fight as they kept the Gee-Gee offence at bay through the majority of the match. It took a full team effort to tie together the loose ends on both sides of the ball.
Consistent play from breakout fourth-year prop Simone Savary led the Gee-Gees into the crucial final minutes of the match.
Breaking off a massive 30-yard run and setting up two scoring situations, along with a massive game saving stop, cemented Savary’s place among the best in Canada.
“When they were up, we felt rushed,” Savary told Sports Services. “We collected ourselves and realized that we still had a whole half to play. We pushed all the way to the end and we all came together. All the fitness drills we’ve done came back and helped us.”
Due to her performance this year and last, the Brampton native has earned immeasurable respect from her coach.
“Simone is just that player for us, again this year. I think she is national level and that was a huge play,” head coach Jen Boyd told Sports Services.
The road ahead for the Gee-Gees should be relatively easy for the surging team, they travel to the Université de Montréal next to take on a much weaker team in the Carabins. They will then close their season at home against the struggling McGill Martlets. The playoff picture will become clearer in the final weeks, but the Gees are certainly a favourite for both the conference and national championships.
