Giants out at AUS Women's Playoffs

Both the Dalhousie Tigers and the Cape Breton Capers will not be returning to CIS nationals this year.

Both teams lost their semi-final matches yesterday.

The Tigers choked in extra-time allowing At. FX to snatch a come-from-behind win.

Kate MacDonald scored a wonder goal in the 23rd minute to give Dalhousie a healthy lead. The Tigers have been deadly when scoring first this year, and they defend very well.

Today, though, they couldn't hold the X-Women out as Meghan Ramsden tied it in the 70th minute on a free kick. The ball bounced in front of goal and got past the Tiger's defense.

Then at 99 minutes, Nichole MacNeill lashed a 35 yard effort into goal and handed the Tigers their first loss of the season, and by far the most crucial one.

The Tigers were a young team this year, and perhaps the occasion overwhelmed some of their key rookies. Joanna Blodgett, Emma Landry, and Beth O'Reilly have been regular starters for Dalhousie, but only Landry has scored this year and she only once, although all of them are offensive players.

The UPEI Panthers' Jenn MacLeod scored in the 56th after coming out cautiously in the first half. They weathered the storm (quite literally, as the match was played in a snow storm) and nabbed their goal to send the Capers home.

It's just the second time in seven years that the Capers have lost in the playoffs.

Neither of the AUS Women's conference giants will head to nationals, meaning some new faces will see the CIS stage next weekend, as both UPEI and St. FX will go, regardless of who wins today.