The Carleton Ravens women’s basketball team is headed to the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) semifinals after a suspenseful 61-58 win over the uOttawa Gee-Gees on Saturday.
The Ravens’ Nest was full of fans for both the Ravens and the Gee-Gees, and the noise from fans echoed through the gym after every basket.
This was the third time the Ravens have played the Gee-Gees this season after winning their first matchup 63-43 and losing their second 57-54.
The flow of the game was aggressive and fast-paced, with both teams playing their hardest in an elimination game. With very few calls from the referees, the game was anything but stop-and-start.
Carleton guard Madison Reid, who broke the school record for most career three-pointers last week, started the game strong by getting the first two baskets.
The Ravens had the lead in the first quarter and maintained their aggression throughout the game. They showed strength defensively, creating several turnovers.
Carleton’s defensive rebounding improved from previous games and contributed to the team’s success in the first half. Guard Tatyanna Burke finished the game with seven defensive rebounds and the team had 26 total, seven more than the Gee-Gees.
At halftime, the Ravens led 28-22. Baskets from Burke and guard Kali Pocrnic got Carleton off to a strong start in the second half.
However, in the final quarter, the Gee-Gees caught up and tied the game 44-44 with six minutes left. As the minutes ticked down, both teams started to slow.
The Ravens increased their edge with free throws from Pocrnic and guard Emma Huff and with a minute left, it was a three-point game. Threes from Burke and guard Teresa Donato sealed the win.
“Losing is really not an option for us,” Burke said. “A lot of us practiced really hard for this game.”
The immediate relief from winning didn’t last long. The team is now preparing to face the Ryerson Rams, who are undefeated at 14-0 and ranked fourth in the nation, directly ahead of Carleton.
The teams will play on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the OUA East final in Toronto.
“Tonight, both teams played hard and competed and didn’t want their seasons to end,” Carleton head coach Dani Sinclair said. “But there’s more work to be done.”
Featured image by Spencer Colby.
