Knowing full well that it could be the toughest test of their entire season, the Marauder women's rugby team ground out a dramatic 21-20 victory over the defending OUA champions, the Queen's Gaels, on Sunday at Back 10 Field.

In a fitting end to a tightly-contested match between nationally-ranked teams, the Gaels scored a last-ditch try that brought them within a point in the final moments of the match, only to watch the convert hook wide and the final whistle blow immediately after.

Katie Svoboda, Colleen Irowa and Cindy Nelles each had tries for the Marauders, who were playing only their first full game of the season, after their opener-to-be was cut short by a thunderstorm a week ago at Trent.

First blood went the way of the defending champions, who took advantage of a penalty goal in the opening minutes to lead 3-0. But McMaster quickly showed its devastating speed in open play, and Svoboda broke through the Queen's defensive line for the game's first try, which her sister Sara converted to give the Marauders a 7-3 lead.

Momentum stayed with the Marauders, and they extended their advantage when Nelles powered through the Gaels and off-loaded well to Irowa, who gashed through the onrushing defenders and across the line at short range for a try of her own. Another convert crucially extended McMaster's lead to 11 at 14-3.

That cutting edge in the kicking game proved to be the difference between two well-matched sides on Sunday.

Queen's showed the skill and organization that won them an OUA title late in the half, pinning McMaster deep and eventually forcing the rare penalty try just before the break, as the referee adjudged the Marauders to be unfairly stalling a scoring drive. With the convert positioned dead centre, the Gaels made no mistake and cut their deficit to 14-10 at halftime.

Play was inconclusive for much of the second half, as the Gaels probed for the try that would send them ahead, but McMaster's defence held firm. After a prolonged stand, the Marauders finally cracked when the Gaels found room to run down the left, and plunged into the endzone to retake the lead. However, their convert attempt was a tricky one from the sideline, and it was missed to leave two important points off the Queen's tally.

The Marauders made their visitors pay for that mistake almost immediately, as Nelles once again slashed through the Queen's defenders from open play to touchdown in a favourable position. Svoboda took advantage to make good on the convert and give McMaster a 21-15 lead.

It was then that their wasteful kicking haunted the Gaels, as they successfully scored a last-minute try only to see their convert fly wide of the upright. That stood as the final play of the game, as the referee blew to bring an end to a famous win for the Marauders.