Victoria Vikes Snap UBC Thunderbird Win Streak and Claim Top Spot at Canada West 7s

EDMONTON – In a thrilling matchup at the Dome at Foote Field, the Victoria Vikes triumphed over the UBC Thunderbirds, ending their dominant 18-game win streak. The Vikes claimed the top spot at the first tournament of the Canada West 7s series with a commanding 28-10 victory.

Maggie MacKinnon and Lucie Romeo were standout players for the Vikes, each contributing 37 points throughout the tournament. MacKinnon also had a remarkable 11 successful converts, while Romeo scored the most tries with seven.

The Alberta Pandas, the tournament hosts, gave a strong performance but secured third place with a 1-3 record. The Pandas started the day with a loss to the Thunderbirds but displayed resilience in their match against the Lethbridge Pronghorns. Captain Shelby Pierce and Kate Manning scored tries, giving the Pandas a 10-0 halftime lead. However, the Pronghorns fought back in the second half, scoring two tries and securing a 14-10 victory.

In their only match of the day due to travel disruptions for the Trinity Western Spartans, the Calgary Dinos faced the Vikes. Unfortunately for the Dinos, they were unable to find the scoreboard as the Vikes scored four unanswered tries, resulting in a dominant 26-0 win.

The standings at the end of the tournament saw Victoria Vikes in first place with a perfect 4-0 record, followed by the UBC Thunderbirds at 3-1. The Alberta Pandas, Calgary Dinos, and Lethbridge Pronghorns rounded out the standings in third, fourth, and fifth place respectively with identical 1-3 records.

The second tournament of the Canada West 7s series will take place at UBC on February 10th and 11th, where teams will have another chance to compete for the top spot and continue their pursuit of victory.