Canada falls to Great Britain in Women’s World Championship
Late touchdown gives GB 20-13 upset victory
VANTAA, Finland (Aug. 3, 2022) – Siobhan Walker caught a 10-yard pass from Sydney Green with two seconds left to break a 13-13 tie and send Great Britain to the championship game at the 2022 IFAF Women’s World Championship in Vantaa, Finland, as they upset No. 2-seeded Team Canada. Walker’s score capped a 9-play, 40-yard drive that consumed 3:22, leaving Canada no time for a comeback. On the drive, Green went three-for-four passing for 31 yards.
Canada opened the scoring halfway through the first quarter as Hanna McEwen (Winnipeg, Man.) scored one play after a British miscue gave Canada the ball on the one-yard line. Great Britain cut the lead to 7-6 early in the second as Lucy Peaty scored on a 28-yard interception return, but the potential game-tying conversion failed. Team GB took the lead on the last play of the half, as Green called her own number and scored from two yards out.
Canada tied the game early in the third quarter when Sarah Wright (Saskatoon, Sask.) scored from one yard out, but the conversion attempt went awry, leaving the teams on level terms until Walker’s last-second heroics.
Great Britain outgained Canada 262 yards to 151, and made 16 first downs to Canada’s 11. Canada forced four British turnovers, but gave up the ball three times themselves.
Canadian quarterback Maude Lacasse (Montreal, Que.) went 10-for-20 for 79 yards, with two interceptions. Green, for her part, threw for 140 yards on 18-for-28 passing, with one touchdown and three interceptions.
Kasey McCombs (Yorkton, Sask.) led the Canadian rushing attack with eight carries for 70 yards, while Laurence Pontbriand (Montreal, Que.) was Canada’s leading receiver, with five catches for 43 yards. For Great Britain, Walker finished with 77 yards rushing on seven carries, while Jessica Anderson had six catches for 45 yards.
Defensively, Émilie P.-Bélanger (Laval, Que.) led Canada with 9.5 tackles, while Harmine Christine Léo (Montreal, Que.) had seven tackles, including one for loss, and two interceptions. Phoebe Schecter led Great Britain with 9.5 tackles and an interception, while Peaty had 4.5 tackles and the interception return touchdown.
The Canadians will play for the bronze medal at the event on Sunday against Finland at 4:30 p.m. local time (9:30 a.m. Eastern). The world championship game, between Great Britain and the USA, will follow at 7:30 p.m. local time (12:30 p.m. Eastern).
Statistics
SUMMARY
First Quarter
CAN – TD McEwen 1 run (Elliott convert) 5:55
Second Quarter
GBR – TD Peaty 27 interception return (Read convert missed) 0:23
GBR – TD Green 2 run (Read convert) 12:00
Third Quarter
CAN – TD Wright 1 run (Elliot two-point conversion attempt failed) 9:04
Fourth Quarter
GBR – TD Walker 10 pass from Green (Read convert) 11:58
Great Britain 0 13 0 7 - 20
Canada 7 0 6 0 - 13
Attendance — 565.
STATISTICS GBR CAN
First downs................... 16 11
Yards Rushing................. 122 72
Yards passing................. 140 79
Total Offence................. 262 151
Passes made-tried............. 18-28 10-20
Return yards.................. 90 48
Intercepts-yards by........... 2-28 3-22
Fumbles-Lost.................. 2-1 1-1
Sacks by...................... 2 1
Punts-average................. 3-34.0 4-32.8
Penalties-yards............... 8-72 4-25
Time of Possession............ 27:55 20:05
Individual
RUSHING: GBR – Walker 7-77, Matta 17-29, Green 5-15, Davies 1-14, Klair 1-9, Morgan 3-6, TEAM 1-(minus 28). CAN – McCombs 8-70, Nash 4-28, Wright 1-1, McEwen 7-1, Lacasse 5-37, Elliott 1-(minus 12), Lacasse 7-(minus 15).
PASSING: GBR – Green 18-28, 140 yards, 1 TD, 3 int; CAN – Lacasse 10-20-79-0-2.
RECEIVING: GBR – Anderson 6-45, Walker 5-34, Davies 3-30, Klair 2-22, Read 1-11, Matta 1-(minus 2); CAN – Pontbriand 5-43, Chevrier 2-14, Elliott 2-13, Roussel 1-9.
