Edmonton, Alta. (Mar. 7, 2024 - photo: Don Voaklander) - The Carleton Ravens women's basketball team has advanced to the U SPORTS Final 8 semifinals following a 75-58 win over the UFV Cascades on Thursday afternoon.
In the tournament's opening game, the Ravens started quickly leading 17-6 midway through the opening quarter. Jacqueline Urban (Ancaster, Ont.) was off to a hot start for the Ravens scoring 8 of the team's first 17 points that featured two deep threes. Despite a pushback from the Cascades, Urban and Second Team All-Canadian Kali Pocrnic (Oakville, Ont.) helped the Ravens jump out to a 29-16 lead.
UFV would climb back into the game in the second half, taking advantage of Ravens foul trouble to make a 7-point run and eventually bring it a 6-point score at the half. Julia Tuschsherer of the Cascades led all scorers at the half with 13 points, 5 of which came in the second frame.
The Ravens exploded in the opening minutes of the second half, outscoring UFV 12-2 in the first five minutes before the game settled down for the rest of the quarter. The third quarter belonged to Montreal guard Kyana-Jade Poulin, the second-year had six points, including a perfect four-for-four at the free throw line, as Carleton entered the fourth up 16.
Pocrnic and crew put the game on ice in the final quarter with Kali leading the way with 8 points in 6 minutes of play. Zerina Duvnjak had 6 points in the final quarter to reach 10 in the game.
Kali Pocrnic led all scorers with 25 points while Kyana-Jade Poulin had 11 points and 10 rebounds and Urban had 12 points and 4 rebounds. Carleton received points from 8 of 11 players in the game with Pocrnic leading all players with a plus 23 differential in 25:52 of play.
The Ravens will now face the winner of Queen's and Saint Mary's in the late game on Saturday night. The action in the second semifinal is scheduled to tip off at 8:00 pm MST / 10:00 pm EST.
