Maple Leafs win Vegas title

In a very competitive game, Maple Leafs Red ran off away with a 19-0 victory over Black to capture their third consecutive Las Vegas Sevens title.

The teams are made up of players in Canada's national playing pool, with many coming straight from Houston and the IRB Women's Sevens World Series last weekend.

Also competing in Vegas were two sides made up of USA pool players and Japan while there were a range of other representative sides.The Maple Leaf Reds started the day with a big win over the Dog River Howlers; a select side from Canada. ?˜Jen Kish, Kelly Russell, Mandy Marchak, Magali Harvey, Julia Greenshields, Brittany Benn and Julianne Zussman started for the Reds, who were dominant, but a few lapses in defense resulted in two Howler tries.?˜The Maple Leaf Blacks faced Emperors Atlantis, a team the Reds defeated in pool play on Day One, for their Cup Quarterfinal.?˜ The momentum from their win over the USA Stars the day before appeared to carry over as the Blacks cohesive defense and strong passing led to an emphatic win. It was a solid team effort for the Blacks, whose shutout defense continued into the second day.?˜In the Reds?? semi-final match against Japan (who knocked the USA Stars out of the quarter finals), the Reds got off to a perfect start with Kish taking the kick-off and slicing through several Japanese defenders on her way to a fantastic solo effort try. The game tightened up from there with the Japanese answering back, after several calls against the Reds worked in favor of the Japanese. The Reds, through strong defense and another try courtesy of Britt Benn, were able to weather the tense affair and hold on to a 14-7 victory.?˜The Blacks, excited about a potential matchup with their Canadian ??teammates?? in the Cup Semifinal on Sunday, were in tough against the US?? number one side, The Stripes, to get there.?˜ Successful thus far as a result of their stifling defense, the Blacks were tough on their American opponents right from kickoff. ?˜Andrea Burk, Megan Gibbs, Barbara Mervin, Elissa Alarie, Cheryl Phillips, Amanda Thornborough, and Arielle Dubissette-Borrice started. Strong runs from Phillips and resilient defense from Gibbs and Mervin marked the game.?˜ Alarie created many scoring opportunities from the halfback position, setting players up and finding gaps on her own. Thornborough stood out for the Blacks offensively and was a pillar in the defensive line.?˜ Tries from Thornborough and Alarie helped put the Blacks up 19-0. The USA Stripes made a late push with two scores, but the Canadian side secured the win to move into the Cup Final.?˜ (reds)Name(Club) (Hometown)?˜Brittany Benn, (Highland RFC) Fergus, ONJessica Dovanne,(Velox Rugby Club) Victoria, BCBianca Farella,(Town of Mount Royal RFC) Montreal, QCPaige Farries,(University of Alberta) Red Deer, ABJulia Greenshields,(Sarnia Saints RFC) Sarnia, ONMagali Harvey,(Club de Rugby Quebec) Quebec City, QCJennifer Kish, Captain (Edmonton Rockers RFC) Edmonton, ABMandy Marchak,(Capilano RFC) Winnipeg, MBKayla Moleschi,(Williams Lake Rustlers) Williams Lake, BCKaren Paquin,(Club de Rugby Quebec) Quebec City, QCKelly Russell,(Toronto Nomads) Bolton, ONJulianne Zussman,(Town of Mount Royal RFC) Montreal, QC?˜Coaches and StaffJohn Tait,?˜Head Coach, National Women??s 7sSandro Fiorino,?˜Assistant Coach, National Women??s 7sTyler Goodale,?˜Strength and Conditioning CoachSandeep Nandhra, Athletic TherapistMeaghan Howat,?˜National Women??s Manager?˜ (blacks)Name(Club) (Hometown)?˜Elissa Alarie,(Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue Rugby Club) Trois Rivieres, QCMelissa Bass, (Foothills Lions) Okotoks, ABAndrea Burk,(Capilano RFC) North Vancouver, BCArielle Dubissette-Borrice,(Toronto Scottish RFC) Toronto, ONMegan Gibbs,(Markham Irish) Barrie, ONAnne Laurence-Harvey, (Club de?˜Rugby?˜Quebec) Quebec City, QCFrederique Rajotte,(Markham Irish RFC) Markham, ONCaitlin McNally, (Highland) Guelph, ONBarbara Mervin,(Velox Rugby Club) Peterborough, ONCheryl Phillips,(Toronto Scottish RFC) Scarborough, ONCaroline Suchorski, (Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue?˜Rugby?˜Club) Trois Rivieres, QCAmanda Thornborough,(Brandon Barbarians RFC) Brandon, MB?˜Morgan Williams, CoachJennifer McKinnon, Athletic TherapistDana Agar-Newman, Assistant Strength and Conditioning CoachMeaghan Howat,?˜National Women??s Manager?˜?˜