The Carleton Ravens women’s rugby team crushed the visiting Bishop’s University Gaiters 70-0 Sept. 15, picking up their first win of the season.
The Ravens jumped out to an early lead just 41 seconds into the game, when second-year back Kaitlyn McLeod picked up the loose ball after a scrum and forced her way in for the try, running through the Gaiters’ defenders. McLeod went on to score a total of four tries in the game.
“Our game plan was to come out fast and play fast, and I thought we did that,” head coach Denis Blondin said. We came out with a few scores in the first 10 to 20 minutes. I think it set the momentum for us for the rest of the game, so I’m pretty pleased.”
Moving into a new position for the game, McLeod earned the praise from her coach.
“We thrust Kaitlyn into the position of playing fly-half today, she hadn’t played fly-half since high school, but we had a few injuries and had to move people around. I thought she did exceptionally well and she really set the tone of how we were playing today,” Blondin said.
Crystal Kruithof was named the interim captain of the Ravens because the team’s usual captain, Lina Hanhan, was injured.
“[McLeod] had an amazing game today. She called for her lines, she ran fast, she didn’t give up, and she fought for every yard she got,” Kruithof said.
The Ravens got out to a big lead and never let their foot off the pedal. The majority of the game was played in the Gaiters’ end.
Only in the twenty-sixth minute of the second half did the Gaiters have a chance to break the shut out, but the Ravens defence stood strong on their try line, not letting anything past.
The Ravens also had a big game from second-year back Alyshia Procter, who came in behind McLeod with three tries on the afternoon.
“Alyshia is a great example for us because she’s a soccer player that just started training with us last winter. This is her third game of rugby ever and I think she’s really starting to get a feel for things now, she’s one of our hardest working players,” Blondin said.
Now with a record of 1-2, the Ravens are slated to face off against the McGill University Martlets Sept. 21.
