The Carleton Ravens women’s basketball team defeated the rival University of Ottawa (U of O) Gee-Gees by a score of 57-50 on Jan. 17 at Montpetit Hall as part of the Bytown Battle.
The game offered a preview between the two teams before the two rivals clash at the Canadian Tire Centre for the annual Capital Hoops Classic on Feb. 3.
“They’re a tough team, they have a lot of pride, and obviously they don’t want anybody beating them,” said Ravens head coach Taffe Charles after the game.
“They’re gonna give us everything they got, they did a good job, and when they get a bit healthier I’m sure they’re gonna give us everything we can handle.”
The Ravens seemed to have control of the game early in the first quarter, jumping out to a 10-4 lead over their crosstown rivals on the backs of two three-pointers from Catherine Traer and Alexandra Trivieri.
But a Gee-Gees surge in the second half of the quarter left the Ravens with a narrow 16-13 lead heading into the second quarter.
“It was a very physical affair, [U of O] did a really good job of making us earn everything. They were very focused defensively and moved their feet very well,” Charles said. “They didn’t give us anything, and that’s the way they have to play, they have to play a scrappy game and they’re a competitive team.”
Carleton’s lead widened to begin the second quarter, with the Ravens sinking four free throws before Gee-Gees guard Amelie Hachey shrunk Carleton’s lead to four with a three-pointer.
Gee-Gees guard Sarah Besselink made two free throws following a Stephanie Carr foul to bring the Gee-Gees within two, 25-23, with just over four minutes remaining in the quarter.
This was as close as the Gee-Gees would get in the first half, as Carleton used eight free throws to build a six-point lead, 31-25, heading into halftime.
Both sides traded baskets in a back-and-forth third quarter, which left the Ravens with the same six-point lead they had heading into the quarter, 43-37. Besselink lead the way for the Gee-Gees with seven of her 19 points on the evening. Traer played the same role for the Ravens, with six of her game-high 20 points coming in the third.
The fourth quarter was also close, with the Ravens narrowly outscoring the Gee-Gees 14-13 to secure the victory. Carleton guard Nicole Gilmore finished with a game-high nine rebounds for the Ravens, while Hachey finished with a team-high six for the Gee-Gees.
“We’re a good defensive team as well, we’re long in the back, good defenders, and we rebound the ball pretty well when we’re focused,” Charles said. “I just thought defensively [that] was something we could control, but again I think we could even do a better job next time around.”
Ravens guard Jenjen Abella finished with a team-high three assists for Carleton. Katherine Lemoine also contributed three assists for the Gee-Gees to share the game-high with Abella.
“I thought we made a couple more plays than they did at the end, but that’s what we’re gonna see from them next game and that’s what we are gonna see in the playoffs,” Charles said.
