GUELPH, ON - Saturday afternoon at Varsity Field, the Gryphons women's rugby team won 37-0 over the Queen's Gaels in an OUA Semifinal matchup. With the win, the Gryphons not only book a spot in next Friday's OUA Final, they also secure a spot at the 2016 CIS Championships in Victoria, B.C. (Nov. 3-6). The Gryphons will square off against the two-time defending OUA champion McMaster Marauders at 7pm on Friday, November 28 at Ron Joyce Stadium.

When the Gryphons and Gaels met earlier this season in Kingston, the Gryphons picked up a 50-5 road win. Despite the 45-point margin of victory, that game actually marked the Gryphons closest contest of what was a dominant regular season. The question on Saturday was whether or not the Gryphons would be able to carry the momentum from that dominant regular season run into the postseason. The answer after Saturday afternoon's game was a resounding yes.



Fifth year centre Alex King led the team with two tries, two converts and a pair of penalty goals while fourth year flanker Alyssa McDonald added two tries of her own. Julia Schell, who in just her second year of eligibility has already emerged as one of the top players in the entire league, added yet another try to her terrific 2016 campaign. Third year wing Kaitlyn Richard rounded out the scoring with the Gryphons other try on the day.

The undefeated Gryphons and undefeated McMaster Marauders, the top two ranked women's rugby programs in the country, have been on a collision course all season long and will meet for the first time this season when they square off under the lights in Friday night's OUA Final. McMaster defeated Western on October 21 in the other OUA Semifinal to book their spot in the gold medal game.

This marks the third consecutive year that these two schools have met in the OUA Final. The Marauders have won each of the previous two matchups with Guelph in the OUA Finals, beating the Gryphons 19-10 two years ago and edging the Gryphs 21-13 last season. With a win on Friday night however, the Gryphons would secure their school's 14th OUA title in women's rugby and first since 2012.