The Ravens women’s basketball team pulled off a 56-53 comeback victory over the Acadia University Axewomen on Oct. 21, led by fourth-year guard Cynthia Dupont.
Dupont, who scored a team-high 13 points in 31 minutes, was coming off almost two weeks of rest while dealing with a knee injury.
The Ravens started poorly offensively, not scoring a three-pointer in the first three quarters, and trailed 20-19 at halftime. Acadia’s leading scorer Haley McDonald had a game-high 28 points.
The Axewomen pulled away in the third quarter to a double-digit lead before Dupont sparked Carleton’s comeback with three three-pointers and a couple of drives to the rim.
“We kind of scratched this one out,” Ravens head coach Taffe Charles said. “Some of the culture in terms of not wanting to lose kind of kicked in at the end of it.”
“We’re a team that fights,” guard Madison Reid added. “When it comes down to it, we’ll fight for it.”
Guard Jaclyn Ronson tied the game with under three seconds remaining with a corner three-pointer. As the teams traded baskets in overtime, forward Alyssa Cerino made the game-winning three-pointer to put Carleton ahead 55-53.
After the game, Charles praised Dupont’s performance and determination.
“Cynthia is doing the best she can,” Charles said.
Dupont hadn’t practiced in two weeks due to the knee issue, according to Charles.
She also wore red medical tape around her right knee, something she’s had since their exhibition opener against the Montmorency Nomads on Sept. 22. Charles credited her performance to confidence as well.
Dupont said the injury process “has its ups and downs.”
“You do your best and you go to therapy a lot,” she added. “Ice as many times as you want and really be cautious with it. And I think everyone here does that to prevent further injuries so you just kind of have to battle through it.”
Dupont has battled through adversity before. On the brink of finishing her three-year career at Champlain College Lennoxville in 2015, she was not recruited by Carleton and contacted Charles to get a shot. She made the team the following season.
Dupont also lost her mother and grandmother to cancer within five months during the 2016-17 season. Dupont said being with a Ravens team she calls “her second family” helped her through the tough times.
Dupont was undecided at the end of last season between returning to Carleton or going to nursing school at Algonquin College but chose to come back because of the team environment.
“Honestly, it’s just a feeling,” she said. “I’ve always played basketball. I love the girls here, I love the coaching staff, and it would just be hard not to play so I had to come back for another year.”
Her teammates also lauded her character. Former point guard Jenjen Abella said she’s “always looking to take care of other people, always putting other people before herself.”
“That’s Cynthia,” Cerino said. “She’s been a little banged up. Her knee has been bugging her but we know we can always count on her even though her knee’s all taped up. I know [when] she’s on the court, I have no fear.”
Reid said Dupont’s knee issue wasn’t noticeable because of her work ethic.
“She’ll definitely put in the effort, always,” she added. “I’ve never seen Cynthia not put in the effort, which gives us lots of energy as a team to know that she bounces back even though the injury, she still played super hard.”
Charles said Dupont struggled a bit given her lack of practice time. Dupont added it’s difficult as well.
“It’s a struggle but you know what, I’m not the only one that’s struggling through pain or anything like that,” she said.
After the game, Dupont provided a shoulder for fellow fourth-year guard Alex Trivieri to lean on, who was unable to walk on her own after falling on her tailbone during the match.
Right on cue with her reputation, Dupont said she was taking Triveri to the hospital.
Dupont and the team will be playing the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees on Oct. 26.
Photo by Tim Austen
