Queen's clinches bronze in last-second win over Ottawa at U SPORTS women's rugby championship
A thrilling walk-off try from Rachel Cullum lifted Queen’s Gaels to a 29-22 victory over the Ottawa Gee-Gees in the bronze medal game of the 2024 Cavendish Farms U SPORTS Women’s Rugby Championship.
Queen’s struck early, with Mika Matsukobo racing down the right sideline for a 60-yard try in the 4th minute. Ottawa answered promptly, as captain Ketsia Kamba led a 15-metre maul to cross the try line. Victoria Hough’s conversion gave the Gee-Gees a 7-5 lead. The Gaels and Gee-Gees continued to trade tries, with Queen’s Rachel Cullum and Ottawa’s Leigha Stiles each scoring, sending the teams into halftime with Queen’s narrowly ahead, 17-12.
The second half saw Ottawa’s Ella Blyth break free for a 40-metre try, tying the match at 17-17. Despite sustained pressure, Queen’s struggled to capitalize on a 13-phase possession and a series of close-range penalties, while Ottawa edged ahead in the 64th minute with Stiles’ second try. Hough’s conversion hit the post, leaving Ottawa’s lead at 22-17.
In the very late stages, Queen’s mounted a desperate attack, working through 15 phases before Lizzie Gibson powered over the line to tie the game at 22-22. As time ran down to the last play, Cullum broke through the Ottawa line on the final play, sprinting 25 yards to clinch the win for Queen’s. Gibson’s conversion was successful, sealing the final score at
29-22.
Players of the Game
Ottawa: Anna Dodge
Queen's: Rachel Cullum
SCORING SUMMARY
First Half
4' – QUEEN'S Try: Mika Matsukobo (Conversion missed) – QUEEN'S 5-0 OTTAWA
9' – OTTAWA Try: Ketsia Kamba (Conversion by Victoria Hough) – OTTAWA 7-5 QUEEN'S
13' – QUEEN'S Try: Rachel Cullum (Conversion by Lizzie Gibson) – QUEEN'S 12-7 OTTAWA
17' – OTTAWA Try: Leigha Stiles (Conversion missed) – QUEEN'S 12-12 OTTAWA
31' – QUEEN'S Try: Elena Pinkerton (Conversion missed) – QUEEN'S 17-12 OTTAWA
Halftime
Queen's 17, Ottawa 12
Second Half
41' – OTTAWA Try: Ella Blyth (Conversion missed) – QUEEN'S 17-17 OTTAWA
64' – OTTAWA Try: Leigha Stiles (Conversion missed) – OTTAWA 22-17 QUEEN'S
70' – QUEEN'S Try: Lizzie Gibson (Conversion missed) – QUEEN'S 22-22 OTTAWA
70'+4 – QUEEN'S Try: Rachel Cullum (Conversion by Lizzie Gibson) – QUEEN'S 29-22 OTTAWA