Gaiters host Mounties in conference semifinals

The Bishop’s Gaiters will host the Mount Allison Mounties on Saturday in the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) semifinals — the third consecutive time both football teams have met in the playoffs with a championship berth on the line.
Last fall, the Gaiters shocked the Mounties in Sackville, New Brunswick, defeating their division rivals 23-5 and booking a second straight Loney Bowl appearance against the St. Francis Xavier X-Men. This time, however, Mount Allison will be making the trip out to Lennoxville.
In a crucial game against the Saint Mary’s Huskies last week — the matchup had been rescheduled due to Hurricane Fiona and converted into a four-point game — Bishop’s scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter in a 25-17 win, securing second place in the AUS.
With the extra four-point boost, the Gaiters also locked in home field advantage for the semifinals, which, according to head coach Cherif Nicolas, can be a difference maker come Saturday, as hosting means less travel, local support, comfortability, and field familiarity.
The Gaiters split the regular season with the Mounties, losing 18-15 early in September, and then winning 19-6 nearly a month later. This is a team that Nicolas and the rest of the Gaiters squad have battled numerous times over several years. He knows what they are up against.
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