By Earl Zukerman
Brianna Miller of Pointe Claire, Que., accounted for 15 points as the McGill women’s rugby team mowed down the Montreal Carabins 35-12 in RSEQ university action at Terrain Vincent d’Indy, Sunday.
McGill improved to 2-0 lifetime against the Carabins, including a 67-0 whitewash in their inaugural meeting last year.
Miller, a physical education senior who was McGill’s top point-getter last season, scored one try and added five conversions.
The Martlets, who led 21-5 at halftime, also had tries from Emily Barber of Fenelon Falls, Ont., Bianca Della Porta of Dorval, Que., Caroline Suchorski of Kirkland, Que., and Casey Thorburn of St. John’s, Nfld.
Anais Holly and Maryéva Métellus replied for the Carabins with one try apiece. Métellus added one conversion.
The players from both teams, as well as the game officials and fans, had to commute to the contest via the Montreal subway system as the streets around Mt. Royal were closed to traffic in order to accommodate the annual Montreal Grand Prix bike race.
The Martlets improved to 2-0 and sit second in the Quebec league standings, tied with Concordia (2-0). Ottawa leads the eight-team RSEQ division at 3-0.
Montreal is in a three-way deadlock with Laval and Carleton at 1-2.
The Martlets, who normally play their home games at McGill’s Macdonald campus in Ste. Anne de Bellevue, will get a rare opportunity to play downtown when they host Concordia in a battle of undefeated teams at Molson Stadium on Wed., Sept. 18 at 8:30 p.m. Up for grabs will be the ninth annual Kelly-Anne Drummond Cup, a fundraiser for WomenAWARE, a nonprofit organization founded by survivors of domestic abuse whose mission is to support those going through the same.
The two teams are 4-4 against each other in Cup play.
The game is symbolic of women’s university rugby supremacy in Montreal and pays tribute to Kelly-Anne Drummond, a former Stinger who died tragically on Oct. 4, 2004. Her boyfriend was found guilty of killing her in April 2006.
There is no charge to attend the game. However, spectators and participants are asked to make a donation at the gate to help support WomenAWARE programs. The Montreal organization helps women who are victims of domestic abuse. To learn more please visit the website at www.womenaware.ca.