Women's Rugby | 8/30/2025 8:22:00 PM
After coming to within a game of qualifying for the postseason for the first time since 2019 last season, the York University Lions women's rugby team kicked off their 2025 season Saturday afternoon at Alunmi Field.
The opposition on this day: the Laurier Golden Hawks, one of the two teams the Lions beat in 2024, a 43-19 York win on that very same field on September 21.
The Lions were looking for more of the same in this one, as they attempted to win their season opener for the first time since that 2019 campaign that saw them go 4-0 in the regular season and win the consolation final.
However, the visitors had other plans as they jumped out to a 26-7 lead on tries by Sadie Moorehouse, Jaylyn Kirwan-Moorman, Kaia Grant and Abby Byers. The Lions lone try in that span came from Mistura Are, one of her four on the afternoon, accounting for all the Lions tries.
York battled their way back into the game late in the first half with three scores, including a penalty try after a Laurier yellow card, to make the score 33-28 Hawks at halftime.
However, the Golden Hawks would shut York out in the second half, playing a strong defensive game over the final 40 minutes. They earned four more second-half tries, and took down the Lions by a score of 59-28.
LOOKING AHEAD:
The Lions will look to rebound from this one when they head to Kingston to battle the defending OUA runners up, the Queen's Gaels. Kick-off from The Limestone City is set for 2:00 pm, available free on OUA.tv.
