Catherine Traer drove the lane off a Heather Lindsay screen after taking a handoff, heaving the ball up, it leaving her hand, hanging in the air and hitting the backboard. Swish.
It was 44-44 between the McGill Martlets and the Carleton Ravens in the U-Sports national semi-finals with just under two seconds left when the ball left Traer’s hands.
“I don’t think it hit me yet. I’m shaking right now,” Lindsay said. “Catherine was so clutch. That was all we could ask for.”
Carleton took the lead 46-44 and the game shortly afterwards. Carleton players ran on the court, mobbing each other in ecstasy after Frederique Potvin’s last-second heave fell short.
Carleton had not held a lead for 39 minutes and 59 seconds in the game. They did for the final one when it mattered.
The Ravens had done it, fighting back after a dismal 15-5 first quarter where McGill dissected Carleton’s defence through Alex Kiss-Rusk and Potvin.
“The first quarter was so awful,” Traer noted. “I was a little frustrated. Our power is in our defence so we locked in.”
Both teams struggled to score in the second quarter but Carleton managed to get to the free-throw line in the second quarter, with Traer and Lindsay both ending the first half with six points. However, McGill would carry a four-point lead into the half.
The Ravens’ injury woes would creep in as Nicole Gilmore, with her leg bandaged, started the game and played occasionally in between riding a bicycle on the sidelines. Jenjen Abella was again being treated for her ankle while on the bench.
“Our bodies are failing us at the moment,” Traer said.
Both teams continued to scrap for points. Every punch the Ravens landed, the Martlets had a counter-punch. Carleton cut the lead down to five points in the third quarter through free throws as they were unable score from the field.
Then, as the third quarter turned into the fourth, with the Ravens still down 42-35, they slowly made their push. Elizabeth Leblanc finished a shot and Lindsay hit the ensuing layup. The Carleton bench erupted to their feet.
Stephanie Carr was fouled with the score 42-40. The Stittsville native walked to the line, smile on her face, trying to ease the pressure and sank two baskets calmly, tying the game for the first time since tipoff.
The Ravens defence locked in, holding the Martlets to only two points in the entire fourth quarter, with two Marie-Love Michel free throws for the Martlets to make it 44-42.
Both teams were stout defensively but also lukewarm offensively down the stretch, missing layups and outside shots left, right and centre. Leblanc, who logged an astonishing 38 minutes, finished a layup to tie it with just over a minute remaining. Then Traer hit the dagger.
“I got the ball and I knew ‘you know what, there’s no pressure, it’s either that or overtime,’ ” the Chelsea, Que., native recalled. “I can’t believe that it went in.”
It was symbolic of the journey taken: players who have gone through adversity and made sacrifices to get to this point. Once more, they faced adversity in this game: McGill’s lead, injured players and their own offensive woes.
“Gilmore’s down, [Abella] banged up,” head coach Taffe Charles noted. “It was easy for us to quit, just very symbolic.”
The Ravens prevailed however, not giving up and continuing to fight to the end.
“Heart,” as Charles called it. “I’m proud of these girls.”
They earned redemption from last season, a heartbreaking defeat that the players had thought about every day. They now have a new memory to replace that.
“There’s not one person that shines on this team and I think that’s what makes us so powerful,” Traer noted.
The players referenced their strong bond and unity as what pushed them through.
“It just shows how strong the team is,” Lindsay added. “It’s a team game and . . . we all participate and we all put in a really good effort. Everyone was cheering and everyone was loud on the bench and I think that really made the difference.”
When Abella and Gilmore went out, bench players Madison Reid and Karyne Jolicoeur stepped up. So did Leblanc, who logged 38 heavy minutes and Lindsay, who battled and held Kiss-Rusk scoreless in the fourth down low.
“I would say on this team there’s not one leader: there’s 13 leaders, 13 strong, intelligent and brave, powerful women,” Traer said. “All year, we’ve battled together when times are tough, when our coach is tough, we do it together and we fight together.”
With the win Carleton advances to the finals against the Saskatchewan Huskies on March 11, one win away from a national title.
