Women's Rugby | 9/27/2025 10:12:00 PM
The York University Lions women's rugby team faced off against the winless Trent Excalibur on senior night at Alumni Field, with six seniors – Joey Sedore, Olivia Del Giudice, Harshini Chinnian, Caitlin Watson and Sara Abbas – being honoured prior to the game.
With York looking to get to over .500 for the first time since 2019 and Trent still searching for their first win of the season, there was plenty to play for on both sides of the pitch.
The Lions wasted no time getting on the board, as Alanna Mrkobrada broke out for a long running try down the middle on their first possession of the game. The try was converted by Rachel James, making it 7-0 York. However, Trent responded with a dogpile try of their own minutes later by Mya O'Connor , which was converted by Anacea Ilic to make it a 7-7 game.
A long and methodical York run from near their own endzone saw the ball land in the hands of Cecilia Martino near the goal line, who punched it in for the second Lions try of the game. Another James convert made it 14-7. Not even a minute later, Mya Barton found a seam down the right-hand side of the field, and scored yet another try. This time, the conversion was missed by James, to make it 19-7 in the 16th minute.
Just past the 20th minute mark, a beautiful pass found the hands of Martino again, and she sprinted down the right for another try, this time converted by James, making it 26-7 early on. However, Trent's Tess Bower found a gap down the left side minutes later, converted by Ilic to trim the Lions led to 26-14. This remained the score at halftime.
The second half opened with reigning York female athlete of the week Jahlesha Roye finding another gap across midfield and punching it in for the try, weaving through Trent's defense. James converted it to make it a 33-14 game. However, a slow and physical drive right back from Trent made it 33-19 after a try from Keirah McKinnin, before Ilic missed the convert. Roye scored her second try of the half for the Lions in the 56th minute, on a long run down the sideline to put them back up 40-19 after James converted yet again.
The Excalibur would not go away, though, as a pass was broken up in Lions territory and landed in the hands of Sydney Fulford, who completed a short run good for a Trent try, with the conversion missed again by Ilic to make it 40-24. Responding right back was York's Mistura Are, who forced her way across the try line in the corner of the endzone, making it 45-24 after a missed James conversion. Roye added insurance with another long run of the middle, and a conversion by James gave the Lions a commanding 52-26 lead late in the match.
Trent added another try from Fulford , but it was too little too late, as Roye added her fourth of the match, and Are rounded out the scoring with her second try of the night to give York a 64-31 victory.
LOOKING AHEAD:
After tonight's win, the Lions will look to finish the season strong in their final game of the regular season, as they visit the Brock Badgers in a game that will likely have playoff implications. Game time is set for 7:00 pm on Friday.
