The Carleton women's varsity basketball team opened the 2010 calendar with two impressive wins over Laurentian University and York University Jan. 8-9 in the Ravens' Nest.
Defensively, the Ravens were nearly perfect, holding both teams to under 60 points. However, Carleton also dominated offensively in both games, resulting in the two wins.
In the Jan. 8 game against Laurentian, Carleton held the Lady Vees to only 25 points in the first half while playing aggressively on the offensive side of the floor.
The Ravens were able to show their depth as well, having players come off the bench when their starters were in foul trouble.
Alyson Bush, Courtney Smith and Jennifer Stoqua – all Ottawa natives – topped the scoring list for the Ravens and led them to the 78-59 victory.
"Recently we've been down two guards, and one is out indefinitely. It's good to see that some of our players are capitalizing on their chance to play and to improve, compared to the beginning of the season when they may not have thought they would receive the opportunity,” said head coach Taffe Charles.
The Ravens kept up their high energy and aggressiveness the next night against York.
However, it was once again the defence that caught the attention of those on hand.
The Ravens allowed a mere five points in the opening quarter and they excelled in all the basics of the game, hustling for offensive rebounds and second-chance points.
Carleton led 46-19 at halftime and won with a final score of 91-43.
Had they not made a single shot in the second half, they still would have won against York, in large thanks to the spectacular defence and great team communication, staying together like a flock of Ravens.
The Ravens once again showed depth, having three different top scorers this time around, including a vital double-double by forward Sara Hickman, who dropped 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Charles commended the team's overall work ethic as well as their versatility in handling the plays.
"We played with a total team effort, and some players came off the bench who usually play a secondary role. They were able to contribute and add to the team defensively," Charles said.
While Charles applauded his team's performance, he said he also thinks that the road trip to Toronto to play Ryerson University and the University of Toronto will fare far tougher.
"As a team we didn't really defend well,” he said.
“In spurts we defended okay, but we took advantage of the level of competition and we should be defending as a whole five-person unit instead of individually."