Pandas clinch Suggitt Cup with 27-19 win over Lethbridge

EDMONTON - Fourth-year Panda Ashley Amson scored a pair of tries, including a dagger in the 80th minute to ice a 27-19 Alberta win over the Lethbridge Pronghorns on Friday night. 

The win secures the annual Suggitt Cup for the Pandas after capturing both victories in their season series against Lethbridge. It is the second Suggitt Cup win for the Pandas, who also picked up a win in 2018. 

Kate Manning converted on three converts and two penalty goals, finishing the match with 12 of the Pandas 27 points. Melina Ioannides scored the other try for Alberta, who finish the CW regular season with a 4-2 record. The Pandas will head to the Canada West Final four in either the second or third seed, and will likely take on the Victoria Vikes in the conference semifinal on Thursday. 

The Pandas also finished the regular season with their most victories since 2013, which happened to be the last Alberta team to capture a U SPORTS title. 

Mackenzie Hutton, Zina Umeh, and Kenya Richards scored majors for Lethbridge, who conclude conference play with a 2-4 record. The Pronghorns host the Canada West Championship next weekend, and will battle the UBC Thunderbirds in the second semifinal on Thursday. 

In a much closer contest than their meeting three weeks ago, the Pandas and Pronghorns fought a fairly evenly played contest on Friday in frigid temperatures. Alberta controlled play in the opening half, holding a lead by as many as 10. A late Umeh try for the Pronghorns cut the Pandas lead to five at the half. 

The second half slowed to a halt, with the teams trading possession of the ball in the midfield. Richards trimmed the Pandas lead to one in the 56th minute with a quick dash to goal. However, that was as close as the Pronghorns got, as they were unable to come close to another try. 

SCORING SUMMARY

            1     2     F
ALB     17   10   27
LET     12   7    19

8' - ALB Penalty Goal - #10 Kate Manning; 3-0 ALB
14' - ALB Try - #9 Melina Ioannides (#10 Kate Manning Covert); 10-0 ALB
17' - LET Try - #5 Mackenzie Hutton (#12 Kayleigh Noel Covert); 10-7 ALB
34' - ALB Try - #7 Ashley Amson (#10 Kate Manning Convert); 17-7 ALB
38' - LET Try - #11 Zina Umeh (Convert Missed); 17-12 ALB

HALF
50' - ALB Penalty Goal - #10 Kate Manning; 20-12 ALB
56' - LET Try - #14 Kenya Richards (#15 Verity Fox Convert); 20-19 ALB
80' - ALB Try - #7 Ashley Amson (#10 Kate Manning Covert); 27-19 ALB