RUGBY: Victoria tops UBC, earn first CW title since 2015

Recap courtesy University of Alberta Sports Information

EDMONTON – For the first time in a decade, the Victoria Vikes are Best in the West!

A 74th minute try followed by an outstanding made convert saw Victoria top UBC 18-17 in the conference final, earning their first Canada West title since 2015.

Victoria led 11-5 after the first half in what was a terrific Canada West Final, before UBC scored 12 unanswered points to take a 17-11 lead. However, a try from Kira Smed followed by an Olivia Newsome convert in the final five minutes gave Victoria a lead they would not relinquish.

“It’s been a long wait for the program, and credit to our athletes that put the work in and had the belief. We knew we could win this game today, and we knew it would come down to the last minute,” said Vikes head coach and 2025 CW Coach of the Year Brittany Waters. “We put a big emphasis on our defence and our work rate, and it definitely showed today. Credit to UBC, it was a great game.”

It is the third victory for the Vikes over UBC this season, following wins of 19-15 and 10-6 in the regular season.

“For us, defence wins championships. It’s a huge part of our identity and who we are as a team,” continued Waters. “We have great athletes, UBC has great athletes – but a big focus of ours was defence, our transition play, and our kicking. We knew we had to outwork them in our transitions.”

Carissa Norsten, who was named the 2025 Canada West Player of the Year, opened the scoring for Victoria in the fifth minute, beating the UBC defence out wide before touching down in the end zone.

Following a 22-point performance in the Vikes semifinal win over the host Alberta Pandas, Olivia Newsome added to her total with the first of two penalty goals in the 25th minute, giving Victoria an 8-0 edge.

The five-time defending champion Thunderbirds bounced back, as Adia Pye capped off a gorgeous offensive flurry with a try in the 35th. A second penalty goal from Newsome in added time gave the Vikes an 11-5 lead at the half. UBC found their groove during the break, as they took control of the second half. A Mya Koleba try followed by a successful Brooke Roddham convert trimmed the lead down to just one.

Roddham found the scoresheet again in the 70th, finding a crease in the Victoria defence to give the Thunderbirds a 17-11 lead.

It didn’t take long for Victoria to respond, as Smed pushed UBC into their own end zone for a try just four minutes later, followed by a sensational curving 30-yard convert from Newsome to push Victoria ahead for good.

Next up for both Canada West powerhouse programs is the 2025 U SPORTS Championship (October 29 – November 2), where Victoria will look for a first national title, while the host UBC Thunderbirds will look to defend their 2024 crown.

“The past three years we have really peaked at nationals, and we are trying to do the same again this year” concluded Waters. “We still have a lot of work to do but looking forward to facing other teams and seeing new styles of play, and continuing to believe in what we do.”

Scoring Summary

First Half

12' VIC – #15 Carissa Norsten try (convert missed) – 5-0 VIC

25' VIC – #14 Olivia Newsome penalty goal – 8-0 VIC

35' UBC – #11 Adia Pye try (convert missed) – 8-5 VIC

40' VIC – #14 Olivia Newsome penalty goal – 11-5 VIC

Second Half

59' UBC – #6 Mya Koleba try (#10 Brooke Roddham convert) – 12-11 UBC

70' UBC – #10 Brooke Roddham try (convert missed) – 17-11 UBC

74' VIC – #17 Kira Smed try (#14 Olivia Newsome convert) – 18-17 VIC