Two Trenton, Ont. student-athletes commit to Axewomen

WOLFVILLE, N.S. – Acadia University and Axewomen rugby head coach Matt Durant announced two more additions to the fall roster with the commitment of Emilie Merilainen and Taryn McLachlin from Trenton High School in Ontario. 

Merilainen and McLachlan have helped the Trenton High School team capture three OFSSA championship banners and represent Canada previously.

Merilainen has been a regular fixture at center within the Ontario provincial programs over the last few years and was a central player on the U18 Canadian Women's team that toured the UK last spring. 

"We are extremely excited to have a player of Emilie's caliber joining us this fall.  We felt Emilie was one of the top players on last year's U18 women's side, and we love her style of play", pointed out Durant.

"She is a feisty player with an incredible level of athleticism, and she loves to play a very physical game", Durant added.

McLachlin has been a member of the Rugby Canada development program for some time and has shown some incredible progress over the last few years.  McLachlin is a tough, hard-working player who can slot in easily at either lock or in the back row. 

"We are excited to have another National level player joining what is an already very talented and mobile forward pack.  Taryn is your stereotypical piano-mover, she finds work around the field, does the dirty work around the breakdown and takes the ball forward very effectively", noted Durant.

"I have been very happy with the recruiting successes we have had the last couple of seasons.  The addition of the players coming in this fall round-out our team.  We had a very young, but very talented team last season and now with Lauren Melanson, Jessie Bryan, Emilie Merilainen and Taryn McLachlin among others joining our program, we have several players with significant exposure at the National level with the Rugby Canada development program and time with our U18 National team.  I am very excited by what I see and we are looking forward to the coming seasons", concluded Durant.

The Axewomen open the AUS regular season on Saturday, September 9^th at home against the UPEI Panthers beginning at 2:00 p.m.