LORDS THREE-PEAT IN OCAA WOMEN'S RUGBY SEVENS

BELLEVILLE, Ont. - The Durham Lords defeated the St. Lawrence Surge 24-14 in the gold medal rematch of the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Women's Rugby Sevens Championship at Loyalist College on Saturday.

For the Lords, it marks a third straight OCAA title. OCAA Rookie of the Year Amber Edgerton (Uxbridge) scored a pair of tries in the win, while fourth-year veteran Shay Morris (Ajax) contributed a try and two converts en route to being named Championship MVP.

OCAA Player of the Year Allesha Arsenault (Kingston) scored on a try and two converts for the Surge in a losing effort.

Durham never trailed in the match. Both teams traded converted tries to begin the contest, but the Lords struck for 17 straight points to take a commanding lead. Arsenault's late try and convert pulled the Surge within 10 but time wasn't on the side of St. Lawrence as Durham held on for the win.

It was a rubber match between the two top teams during the regular season. The Lords and Surge topped the regular season standings with 13-1 records with their only losses coming against each other. St. Lawrence defeated Durham 21-17 in September, while the Lords got the better of the Surge 25-5 earlier this month.

Durham and St. Lawrence advanced to the gold medal match following semi-final victories earlier in the day. The Lords scored 41 unanswered points to down the Algonquin Wolves 41-5. Rookies Edgerton and Carlene Closs (Uxbridge) both scored a pair of tries each in the win. Arsenault did all the scoring in St. Lawrence's 7-0 shut out victory over the Humber Hawks, scoring a try and convert.

Humber went on to win the bronze medal match 27-7 over Algonquin. First-year wing Aliza Shahzad (Toronto) scored two tries in a winning cause, while second-year teammate Meghan Aucoin (Port Perry) contributed a try and convert. It is Humber's first OCAA medal in three seasons.

Durham's Edgerton and Maya Austin (Ajax), St. Lawrence's Arsenault and Melissa Raymond (Ottawa), Humber's Aucoin and Algonquin's Sydney Seymour (Cornwall) were all named OCAA Championship All-Stars.

The Lords and Surge met in last year's gold medal game, won by Durham 29-12.

OCAA WOMEN'S RUGBY SEVENS AWARDS

OCAA Women's Rugby Sevens Championship MVP
Shay Morris, Durham

OCAA Women's Rugby Sevens Championship All-Stars
Allesha Arsenault, St. Lawrence
Meghan Aucoin, Humber
Maya Austin, Durham
Amber Edgerton, Durham
Melissa Raymond, St. Lawrence
Sydney Seymour, Algonquin

2024 OCAA WOMEN'S RUGBY SEVENS CHAMPIONSHIP

Championship Website: www.ocaa.com/wrug7

Saturday, October 26
Game 1: Algonquin def. Loyalist 19-10
Game 2: Humber def. Conestoga 26-12
Game 3: Durham def. Algonquin 41-5
Game 4: St. Lawrence def. Humber 7-0

Consolation Final
Game 5: Loyalist def. Conestoga 27-5

Bronze Medal Match
Game 6: Humber def. Algonquin 27-7

Gold Medal Match
Game 7: Durham def. St. Lawrence 24-14

- OCAA -

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