Panthers rally falls short in rain-soaked clash with Axewomen, 19-12

By Thomas Becker

Despite a valiant second-half rally, the UPEI Panthers' comeback bid fell just short, as they fell 19-12 to the Acadia Axewomen in a rain-soaked match marred by slippery conditions. 

Trailing by 19 points early in the second half, UPEI (0-1) mounted a spirited rally, scoring 12 unanswered points to narrow the gap late in the game, but it wasn't enough in the end. 

Early on, both teams struggled to maintain possession as the weather caused several uncharacteristic turnovers. The Panthers' defence held strong for much of the first half, but Acadia (1-) finally broke through in the 35th minute. After a series of plays near the try-line, the Axewomen swung the ball out wide to Brooke Reid, who finished the sequence with a try. The missed conversion left the score at 5-0. 

Just three minutes later, the Axewomen struck again. This time, Samantha Reid picked up the ball off a ruck and sprinted 22 metres down the short side to score, doubling Acadia's lead. The conversion was good, sending UPEI into halftime trailing 12-0.

Acadia wasted no time extending their lead early in the second half. Following a scrum 30 metres out, Axewoman Sara Grant gathered a pass and powered her way through a couple Panther tackles to score Acadia's third try of the game. Grant added the conversion, making it 19-0 and putting UPEI in a deep hole.

Despite the crooked score, the Panthers refused to back down. In the 48th minute, captain Emma MacLean sparked a resurgence, breaking through Acadia's defence to score UPEI's first try. Charlotte Branchflower added the conversion, narrowing the gap to 19-7. 

With momentum on their side, the Panthers pressed on and found themselves deep in Acadia territory again. In the 62nd minute, the ball reached Emily Duffy near the try-line, where she muscled her way through for another score. Although the conversion was missed, UPEI clawed back to 19-12, with plenty of time left to complete the comeback. 

However, Acadia's defence stiffened, and despite more opportunities, the Panthers were unable to add another score. The Axewomen held firm, managing the clock and their field position to secure a hard-fought 19-12 road victory.

The result leaves UPEI searching for answers but proud of their resilience in the face of a tough opponent and adverse conditions. The Panthers will look to learn from this performance as they take on the St. FX X-Women in Antigonish next Sunday.

Photo Credit: Janessa Vanden Broek