Mustangs toppled by Queen's in OUA Finals

KINGSTON, Ont. - For the second straight season the Western Mustangs men's rugby team took to the pitch for a showdown with the Queen's Gaels for the OUA Championship. Despite a late push from the Western offence the Gaels came away with a 29-18 victory, denying the Mustangs their second straight OUA title.

Liam Underwood (Toronto, Ont.) scored almost half of Queen's points, contributing 14 with one try, three conversions, and a penalty goal. Mike Turnbull led the Mustangs with eight points. The Oakville native finished out an OUA All-Star season with one conversion and two penalty goals.

Playing under ideal conditions at newly-renovated Nixon Field, the Gaels got off to an ideal start. Team captain Dan Moor (Toronto, Ont.) charged down a Western kick in the second minute and ran it in from the 22-metre line for the opening try. After Underwood’s conversion, the Gaels led 7-0.

“We have to thank our alumni for this class playing field that we have, and I’m glad that our team matched that with a class performance,” said Huigenbos. “We thought that we could control this game. We have a tight-knit group that has worked together well.”

Western cut the margin to 7-3 on a penalty goal by Turnbull in the tenth minute. However, that was as close as the Mustangs got, as ten minutes later Jeff MacDonald (Toronto, Ont.) intercepted a Western pass just on his own side of midfield. Three phases later, Angus MacPhail (Vancouver, B.C.) put the ball down in the end zone, and Underwood’s second conversion of the day put the hosts up 14-3.

The teams traded penalty goals near the end of the half, as Queen’s held a 17-6 lead at the interval.

The Gaels extended their lead to 22-6 in the 43rd minute, as Brendan McGovern (Ottawa, Ont.) scored a try that was set up by a long run by Underwood.

The Mustangs were given an opening in the 65th minute, as the Gaels’ James Dent (Toronto, Ont.) was sent to the sin bin. They took advantage immediately, as Jeremy McCarty (Lindsay, Ont.) scored one minute later, cutting the gap to 22-11. However, the Gaels successfully chewed up the clock during the remainder of their shorthanded time, and put the game away in the 74th minute, as Underwood broke through to score his try. After his conversion, the Gaels were up 29-11, and it was all over bar the shouting.

James Ojo closed out the scoring for the Mustangs with a try in the 78th minute that was converted by Turnbull, but it was too little, too late, as the Gaels took the Turner Trophy for the 18th time, their first win since 2009.

The loss was only the second of the season for Western and the team finishes with a 9-2 record. Along with a stellar record six Mustangs were named OUA All-Stars as Turnbull, John Humphries, Geoff Wharburton, Ojo, and Courtney Mendez were all recognized for an excellent 2012 campaign.

SUMMARY

Queen’s 29, Western 18

WES 6 12 – 18
QUE 17 12 - 29

First Half
QUE – Try, Moor (Underwood conversion) 3’
WES – Penalty Goal, Turnbull 10’
QUE – Try, MacPhail (Underwood conversion) 21’
QUE – Penalty Goal, Underwood 32’
WES – Penalty Goal, Turnbull 35’

Second Half
QUE – Try, McGovern (conversion failed) 43’
WES – Try, McCarty (conversion failed) 66’
QUE – Try, Underwood (Underwood conversion) 74’
WES – Try, Ojo (Turnbull conversion) 78’

Booked: QUE – Dent 65’, Sent Off: None.
Attendance at Nixon Field: 450

Source: OUA/Queen's Sports Info

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