OTTAWA - The Carleton Ravens are back-to-back RSEQ bronze medalists after a thrilling 34-24 overtime victory on Saturday afternoon.
After Jayden Spence scored late in the second half it appeared the Ravens had taken the lead for good but Mahalia Robinson scored her 24th point of the afternoon to force overtime.
Robinson had opened the scoring early in the first when she scored in the game's fifth minute but missed the conversion for an early 5-0 lead. The opening try was the result of a creative chip-and-chase play that saw her find her own kick behind the Ravens' defenders for the score.
Carleton would respond with a strong offensive push that ended in Charlotte Elliott plunging off the heel of a ruck for a try. The Ravens' lead would be shortlived as Robinson would make another penalty in the 25th minute to put Concordia back ahead.
Vanessa Chiappetta would continue to establish herself as a prolific playoff performer for the Ravens scoring a try in the 27th minute off a beautiful cutback before adding the conversion. She would then tack on a penalty in the 34th which looked to close out the half before Robinson made yet another penalty in stoppage time to send the game to the break 17-11 for the Ravens.
In the second half, it was more of the same from Robinson as she scored off the back of a rolling maul in the 63rd minute adding the conversion and a penalty in the 71st to put Concordia back ahead by four.
Jayden Spence would respond at the right time. The Ravens rookie would pick up a ball off the heel of a ruck along the goal line and plunge her way in for the 24-21 lead with less than four minutes to play on the clock.
When it appeared time had run out on Concordia a penalty awarded the Stingers prime field position and Robinson once again stepped up and made no mistake nailing the penalty and forcing overtime.
In the first half of overtime the Ravens exploded offensively with Vanessa Chiappetta scoring on a penalty in the 86th before Spence scored her second try of the match just before the break to put the game out of reach.
The Ravens forwards were phenomenal in overtime, carrying the pace and physically wearing out the Stingers. While captain Charlotte Elliott carried a big chunk of the teams leadership, Lauryn Walker and Malak Saif El Nasr played a huge role in the team staying calm under pressure as they pushed deep into overtime.
Concordia
Carleton
