Panthers' second-half surge falls short in 26-12 defeat to St. FX

By Thomas Becker 

The UPEI Panthers put up a valiant second-half fight but ultimately fell 26-12 to the St. FX X-Women after conceding 21 points in the first half.

Despite a resilient comeback effort, the Panthers (1-3) couldn't overcome the early deficit, and standout performances from both teams shaped an otherwise thrilling contest.

St. FX (3-1) was the first to strike in the 11th minute, with Emma MacDougall finishing off a strong sequence in the red zone. The X-Women made the most of their first real scoring opportunity, and MacDougall's try put them up 7-0. 

Moments later, Katie Douglas, who was all over the field for St. FX, ignited an attacking sequence with a long run in the 17th minute. Douglas then took a pass from Emily Dodge, cut back inside, shrugged off a tackle, and stormed over the try line from 21 metres out to extend the lead to 14-0. 

Just before halftime, St. FX capitalized again. Inside five metres of the try line, Skye Kotoye took possession, spun off a defender, and muscled her way over the line to push the score to 21-0 at the break.

UPEI responded with renewed energy in the second half. In the 50th minute, Emily Duffy powered through the defence on a 10-metre run, setting the stage for Emma MacLean to take it the rest of the way. The Panthers' score reduced the deficit to 21-7, injecting hope into the team.

However, Douglas continued to make her presence felt. In the 57th minute, Douglas broke free again, embarking on a 30-metre run that set up excellent field position for the X-Women. Shortly after, Shona Galloway finished the attack with another try, stretching the lead to 26-7.

Douglas nearly sealed the game with a breathtaking 80-metre dash down the field in the 73rd minute, but UPEI's Rowan Gallagher made a crucial tackle, stopping Douglas just short of the try line. 

In the final minute, Gallagher had a moment of her own. After receiving an offload from Paige MacLean, she sprinted 50 metres for a try, bringing the final score to 26-12. Though UPEI showed fight until the end, St. FX's early dominance proved insurmountable. 

The Panthers take on the Acadia Axewomen next Saturday in Wolfville, while the X-Women return home to face the Saint Mary's Huskies the following afternoon.

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