BRAEDAN WILLIS, VIKES COMMUNICATIONS

VICTORIA- The University of Calgary Dinos held off the second half surge from the Victoria Vikes to win by a final score of 38-22 on Sept. 21 at Wallace Field. 

Calgary winger Taejah Thompson led her team by scoring four tries in the match, three of which came in the first half. Elysa Sandron was also solid for her Dino squad as she converted four of her six conversion attempts.

"She is playing with a lot of confidence right now," said Calgary head coach Simon Chi, commenting on Thompson's game. "You can see how dynamic and dangerous she can be on the field."

The Vikes came back with a strong second half after only scoring three points in the first. Victoria's tries came from Chanelle Edwards-Challenger and McKenzie Pusch to go along with a penalty try that was awarded to the Vikes in the second half. 

"We got away from our game plan in the first half but we found a new fire in the second," said Vikes head coach Brittany Waters. "We played better defensively, had more possession and with more ball in hand we were able to play a wider game which allowed us to score."

In the second minute of the game, Thompson opened the scoring after she made a dash down the sideline to put Calgary up 7-0 early with the addition of Sandron's conversion. A few minutes later in the eighth minute, Calgary marched down the field putting together several phases. When the Dinos had moved themselves inside the Vikes ten metre line, Calgary fly half Isla Shill got by the last Vike defender to score and put her team up 12-0. Calgary would score three more times in the opening half, one from Coralyn Cafaro and two more from Thompson. Maddy Aberg was successful on a penalty kick to give the Vikes their only points of the half. Calgary led 31-3 at half time. 

Before the Vikes began to make a comeback, Thompson touched down her fourth try of the game six minutes into the second half to extend Calgary's lead to 38-3. The Vikes began to gain some momentum when Pusch muscled her way over the Calgary goal line to give her team their first try of the match. Victoria was awarded a penalty try in the 64^thminute to cut Calgary's lead to 38-17. Edwards-Challenger touched down one last try for the Vikes in the 77^thminute before time expired with the final score showing 38-22 for the Dinos. 

Calgary will now travel to Vancouver to take on the UBC Thunderbirds on Sept. 23. Victoria will host UBC next weekend for a game that holds value in both the Canada West standings and the Legends Cup, the new rivalry series started this year between the Vikes and Thunderbirds. 

SCORING SUMMARY
VIC          3-19          22
CGY        31-7           38
 
SCORERS

 First half
2' – CGY TRY – Taejah Thompson (Convert Elysa Sandron) – CGY 7-0

8' – CGY TRY – Isla Shill (Convert missed) – CGY 12-0

18' – VIC PENALTY GOAL – Maddy Aberg – CGY 12-3 

25' – CGY TRY – Coralyn Cafaro (Convert missed) – CGY 17-3

32' – CGY TRY – Taejah Thompson (Convert Elysa Sandron) – CGY 24-3

40' – CGY TRY – Taejah Thompson (Convert Elysa Sandron) – CGY 31-3

Second half
46' – CGY TRY – Taejah Thompson (Convert Elysa Sandron) – CGY 38-3

53' – VIC TRY – Mckenzie Pusch (Convert Maddy Aberg) – CGY 38-10

64' – VIC TRY – Penalty Try – CGY 38-17

77' – VIC TRY – Chanelle Edwards-Challenger (Convert missed) CGY 38-22

Cards

64' – CGY Yellow – Alisa Illichova