Hamilton, Ont. - The McMaster women's rugby team earned their first win of the season over the Western Mustangs on Sunday afternoon with a score of 38-22. Marauder Cindy Nelles (Belleville, Ont.) scored 21 points for the home team to win the home opener of the 2011 season. 

The Marauders took to the field and dominated Western early on. Nelles scored her first try of the match just 10 minutes in to give McMaster the early lead. In the back field, McMaster's Georgia Davis (Frankford, Ont.) would be solid for the Marauders to keep the majority of play in Westerns half.

McMaster's second try of the game would come from Lynsay Turner (Mississauga, Ont.) and Nelles would kick the convert to go up 12-0. The Marauders would continue to shut out the Mustangs with Nelles second try of the match and Maggie Cogger-Orr (Thornhill, Ont.) would kick for the extra two points.

Just before half, the Mustangs found a way into McMaster back end and would earn the try from MacKenzie Fane but Meaghan Buitinga (London, Ont.) would miss the convert. The Marauders would be up 19-5 going into the second half. 

In the second, play would even out for both teams but McMaster would strike again. Cogger-Orr would earn the try and Nelles would kick for the convert. 

As Western began to pick up the pace, Allison Walker (Waterloo, Ont.) would score the try for the Mustangs and Buitinga would earn the convert. Soon after, Western's Arielle Borrice (Toronto) would score anouther try for the Mustangs putting the visitng team within nine points of McMaster's lead. 

Picking up the pace, the Marauders would score two more tries, from Natasha Turner (Rockcliffe, Ont.) and Nelles, respectively, while Nelles earned another two points off the convert. Western's Borrice would score one last time to end the match, but it wouldn't be enough to defeat the Marauders. 

The final score of Sunday's game was 38-22. The McMaster women's rugby team takes on the York Lions next Saturday.