The good times keep rolling in for the Queen’s women’s rugby team, and last weekend marked another tick in their win column.
On Sept. 20, the Gaels took the trip down to St. Catherine’s, ON., to face the Brock University Badgers. Queen’s made light work of the Badgers, storming to a 61-0 win. The game is the Gaels’ fourth straight win to start the season.
The game featured a breakout performance for Tatum Lougheed, Kin ’28, who opened the scoring nine minutes into the match. Just minutes later, Tattyannah Jackson, ArtSci ’26, barrelled through the Badgers’ defensive effort at the goal line, giving the Gaels a 14-0 lead.
Queen’s never looked back. Lizzie Gibson, M.PL. ’26, pushed through another Badgers last-ditch defensive effort to give the Gaels a 21-0 lead midway through the first half. Brock was able to stave off the Gaels for the rest of the first frame but exploded for six more tries in the second half.
In the end, Lougheed finished with two tries, as did Robyn Baker, ArtSci ’27. Veterans Jackson, Gibson, and Guinevere O’Hara, ArtSci ’27, finished each with a try. The team’s fresher faces got in on the action too, as tries from Kennedi Stevenson, ArtSci ’28, and Eva Johnston, Comm ’28, joined Lougheed’s efforts. Additionally, Gibson was stellar on conversions, converting eight out of nine attempts.
Despite the lofty score, Queen’s women’s rugby Head Coach Dan Valley holds plenty of respect for the Badgers and appreciates the efforts from both teams. “That was a very good, very physical Brock team we were getting in the ring with,” Valley said in an interview with The Journal. “It was a collective effort and an 80-minute commitment—that’s all we can ask for.”
For Valley, the Gaels’ continued success comes with zero surprise. “What we’re seeing on the field is the culmination of work they’ve been putting in since January,” he said.
He continued, discussing the importance of his team’s relentless training and drive to keep improving. “We spoke at the beginning of the season about needing to be not just ready and willing, but excited to go to some pretty dark places in training,” Valley said.
The mix of continued dominance from his veterans and breakout performances from younger players comes by design for Valley. “That’s part of the secret sauce, making sure we’ve got a group of players that have been here and done this in some way before,” he said, referring to the importance of his leadership group as stars such as Lougheed, Stevenson, and Johnston continue to breakout.
With the win, Queen’s maintains their position as the top team in the country, as indicated by U Sports’ latest women’s rugby rankings. Despite the continued success, Valley remains focused on what’s directly ahead—a rivalry matchup with Western University.
Western currently ranks fourth in U Sports, with a 4-0 record identical to that of Queen’s. “They’ve got our attention,” Valley said. “We have to prepare as though we’re getting in the ring with a top program in the country—because we are.”
While the rivalry aspect is appealing, Valley’s team is focused on trusting their process rather than playing into the narrative. “Yes, there’s a rivalry,” Valley said. “But [the team’s focus is still] about making sure our game is in a place where we can dictate the pace and the physicality.”
Even though it’s all business for the Gaels this weekend, Valley says Gaels attending the game are still in for a show. “I’d like to think our business comes with a bit of flair,” he added.
The Gaels will be back home at Nixon Field to face the Western University Mustangs on Sept. 27 at 5 p.m. ET.
Tags
Brock Badgers, Dan Valley, Eva Johnston, Guinevere O'Hara, Kennedi Stevenson, Lizzie Gibson, Robyn Baker, Tattyannah Jackson, Tatum Loughneed, western mustangs, Women's rugby
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