Football Gaels hang on for win over Gryphons

Football Gaels hang on for win over Gryphons

By Communications Staff

September 24, 2018

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A quick roundup of Queen's Gaels teams and athletes in competition over the weekend:

FOOTBALL

The Queen’s Gaels (3-2) squeezed out a 33-32 victory over the Guelph Gryphons (2-3) in the final seconds of their OUA football game at Alumni Stadium in Guelph on Saturday.

With the Gaels ahead 33-31, the hosts had a chance to win the game with less than 10 seconds left but the Gryphons’ kicker missed from 32 yards out, with the ball going through the endzone for a single point.

The Gaels jumped out to a 14-0 lead with touchdowns by Jake Puskas and Matteo Del Brocco. After the Gryphons got a major back Hobbs punched in another for a 21-7 lead.

Another touchdown from Puskas and a field goal by Nick Liberatore put the visitors up 33-7, but the Gryphons would roar back in the second half to give themselves a chance to win, only to fall just short.

MEN’S RUGBY

The Queen's Gaels men’s rugby Team (4-0) continued their dominant OUA play with a 109-0 shutout against the Brock Badgers (1-3). 

A total of 12 Gaels scored a try or more in the rout. Cully Quirke opened the scoring in the first minute and Queen’s never looked back.

With forwards Nicholas DeLallo and Ruairidh MacPhail running wild, the Gaels captured a 52-0 lead at the half and continued their torrid try scoring pace even after substituting almost a full squad. First-year player Connor Weyell finished with three tries after the break.

CROSS COUNTRY

The Queen’s Gaels women’s cross country team finished second and the men’s team was third overall at the Western Invitational in London on Saturday morning.

On the women’s side, the OUA No. 1 Gaels were led by third- and fourth-place finishes from Makenna Fitzgerald and Taylor Sills. Fitzgerald ran the 6km course in a time of 21:17 while Sills crossed at 21:28.

The Gaels women finished with 58 points coming in second to the Guelph Gryphons who won with 39 points. Western’s Kristina Popadich set a new course record in a time of 20:28 breaking the mark set last year by Queen’s Branna MacDougall who did not race this year in London.

On the men’s side, the Gaels totalled 80 points for third overall in the race behind McMaster and winners Guelph.

Queen’s was led by Mitchell de Lange who finished third overall in a time of 24:21 for the 8km race. Brett Crowley, Matt Flood, Nathan Dehghan and Mitchell Kirby finished 11th, 19th, 21st and 26th respectively.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

The Queen's Women’s soccer team (5-2-1) stumbled a bit as they lost 2-0 against the Ottawa Gee-Gees (7-1-1) on Saturday and followed with a scoreless draw Sunday against the Carleton Ravens (4-3-3).

Saturday’s game was a battle between the OUA’s No. 7 (Queen’s) and No. 8 (Ottawa) teams. In a tightly-contested match the Gee-Gees made the breakthrough off a free kick just before the half and doubled the lead in the 74th minute through a penalty shot.

On Sunday, the Gaels dominated possession throughout much of the match but were not able to capitalize on their chances against the Ravens.

MEN’S SOCCER

The Queen’s Gaels men’s soccer team (6-2-0) earned a weekend split with a 3-0 win over the Trent Excalibur (0-8-0) on Saturday and 2-1 loss against the Carleton Ravens (9-0-1) on Sunday.

The Gaels dominated the Excalibur with goals coming from Michael Chang, Nicholas Theodorakakis, and Nick Alie Day.

On Sunday the OUA No. 5 Ravens got out to an early 2-0 with goals in the sixth and 25th minutes.

The Gaels battled back and James Michaelis struck back with a header in the 65th minute. However, the Gaels were unable to find the equalizer.