Women’s rugby team score their first ever CIS points during weekend game

By Douglas Long

The University of Calgary Women’s Dinos Rugby team was very busy traveling to British Columbia last weekend to face two different squads. They played the University of Victoria Vikes on Oct. 1 and the UBC Thunderbirds Oct. 3.

The Dinos managed to score four times against the Vikes in a nail biting 32-22 lose. The 5’11” first-year prop Samantha Crandell scored the first try for the Dinos since they entered the Canada West Conference in 2008. Three other players managed to score against the Vikes, lock Chelsea Smolka, eight Kim Gould student and wing Kayla Nelson. The Dinos handed the Vikes their first win of the 2010/2011 season.

“It’s been a tough year with injuries,” said head coach Simon Chi. “We have a very young squad.”

The Dinos then faced a winless UBC Thunderbird team on Sunday for the second game of the road trip. The Thunderbirds managed to keep the Dinos from scoring in a 19-0 loss.

“The scores did not reflect our level of play, but we were definitely in it all game,” said coach Chi.

After a long road trip, the Dinos are heading into their off week, to rest up and prepare for their next game.

“We are going to focus on recovery and building on systems and structure or play,” Chi stated.

The Dinos have shown they can score points and even though they have yet to win a game, they are striving for excellence in play.

“There has been some optimism this year, but truly it’s a matter of being competitive, the team has come a long way since last year,” said Chi.

Last year the Dinos failed to score a single point.

Head coach Simon Chi has been involved with men’s rugby for the past 10 years and this is his first year coaching the women’s rugby team.

“I’m still adjusting to the system of women’s rugby, but there has been definite improvement since last year and the players are very young,” said Chi.

October 15 will be the Dinos’ first home game and the last game of the regular season. The Dinos will face the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns, who are entering their bye week as well.