The Martlet

Battling through heavy wind and rain last Saturday, Oct. 4, the Vikes women’s rugby started their season off with a 27-7 victory over the Port Alberni Black Sheep.

Coming off a fourth place finish at last week’s Can-West Tournament, the ladies were itching for a win on their opening day.

At the start of the first half Port Alberni had taken advantage of the Vikes’ sluggish pace by holding them deep inside their own half for the first 15 minutes.

The Vikes, however, maintained composure with a sturdy defensive line. Their efforts paid off with a try by freshman Kayla Read, one of three freshmen to score tries on Saturday.

Wet conditions limited the passing, causing Port Alberni to depend on their forward pack. The Vikes took a different approach and used their backs in the slippery conditions. Freshman Meghan Richely’s swiftness resulted in another UVic try in the closing minutes of the first half to put the Vikes up 10-0.

In the second half, the Vikes came out with force, upping the pace of the game with quick offensive tactics. Captain Sarah Logan showed great vision by using a tap-and-go, brushing off the Alberni defense and giving the Vikes their third try of the afternoon.

With the tries against them in a high tempo match, Port Alberni looked sluggish. Their disorganization caused them to be caught off guard by the quick UVic line outs and precise kicking over the Port Alberni back line. The well-placed kicks allowed the Vikes to use their speed and aggressiveness to catch their opponents by surprise.

Key to the Vikes’ ball possession in the second half was the unmerciful tackles which led to the Vikes winning in the rucks.

Stripping the ball in the ruck allowed Nikki Palle to score a try to complete the strong UVic freshman showing. She flawlessly kicked the first conversion of the game, increasing the lead to 27-0.

Lindsay Shannon of Port Alberni scored a consolation try in the closing minutes with a conversion by Jane Cruttenden. Their effort was too late, however, as the Vikes went on to win 27-7.

After the game coach Brad Skene was happy with the effort his squad put forth.

“After the Can-West tournament we let the youngest players gain some experience with game time,” he said. “The young group did well with the structure and had worked hard in practices.”

Sarah Logan said playing against her home team was strange but fun.

“It’s rugby, you compete hard each game,” she said, adding that they fielded a younger team, giving them some experience for future games.

Looking ahead, the Vikes will have their biggest test of their season on Saturday, Oct. 11, when they visit Premier League defending champions Velox at 11:30 a.m.