Ravens Sports Info (Photo by Marc Lafleur)
OTTAWA - Just when it looked like the Carleton Ravens had broken their Panda Game curse, Ottawa Gee-Gees kicker Campbell Fair hit a 55-yard field goal to win the 2023 Panda Game 18-16.
After trailing from late in the first half onward, the Carleton Ravens took the lead late in the fourth quarter and looked to be on their way to victory before Fair's fateful strike. A fitting, though disappointing end, to a wonderful afternoon at a sold-out TD Place.
Carleton opened the scoring in the first quarter when Kaseem Ferdinand (Kanata, Ont.) caught a Tristan Lefebvre (Calgary, Alta.) pass to open the game's scoring. Fair would get the Gee-Gees on the board in the second with a rouge before Maxim Malenfant caught a 22-yard pass from Josh Janssen for the lead.
In the early third quarter, Scott Fulton caught a 13-yard pass from Janssen to extend the Gee-Gees lead to 7. Looking to take the lead, Carleton had an opportunity with three downs on the Gee-Gees one to take the lead but failed to get into the end zone all three tries. After turning over the ball on downs the Ravens forced a safety from the Gee-Gees to cut the lead to 6.
The Ravens would continue to press, climbing 88 yards down field, capping off their drive with a 1-yard run by quarterback Tristan Rinaldis. Leading by 1 the Ravens were able to force the Gee-Gees to punt, but failed to gain a first down giving Ottawa one more attempt at victory.
The Gee-Gees, working with 36 seconds on the clock, gained 19 yards setting up the fateful field goal.
With the loss the Ravens now fall to 2-3 where they are tied with Queen's and Waterloo for 5th place.
The Ravens return to action on Friday when they face the Queen's Gaels at Richardson Stadium in Kingston, Ontario.
