The fate of the Algonquin College Thunder women’s rugby season was decided in the boardrooms. The Thunder thought they’d won the Ontario colleges championship on Nov. 18 at Twin Elm Rugby Park in Richmond when Courtney Mastine converted a penalty kick in a sudden death overtime period, which they played following two 10-minute overtime halves against Humber College.
But the teams later learned that the referee didn’t follow the league’s correct overtime format, which should have allowed only one overtime period to be played. After the first 10 minutes, Humber carried a 13-8 lead before Danika McDermott tied it up in the second overtime session.
Humber protested the 16-13 result, and the final decision made after appeals was that the teams would be recognized as co-winners.