EDMONTON — Kali Pocrnic had a game-high 25 points as the Carleton Ravens opened their title defence with a 75-58 win over the Fraser Valley Cascades on Thursday at the U Sports women's basketball Final 8.
Jacqueline Urban added 12 points, while Kyana-Jade Poulin had 11 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for second-seeded Carleton.
Maddy Gobeil and Julia Tuchscherer each scored 15 points to pace seventh-seeded Fraser Valley.
The Ravens entered this year's tournament as the reigning two-time OUA champions and defending national champions. Carleton now advances to Saturday's semifinal, taking on Queen's.
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HUSKIES 85 DINOS 54
Gage Grassick led the way with 19 points, eight rebounds and seven steals as the Saskatchewan Huskies dismantled the Calgary Dinos 85-54.
Carly Ahlstrom chipped in with 14 points and five steals, while Maya Flindall had 11 points off the bench for top-seeded Saskatchewan.
Myriam Kone paced eighth-seeded Calgary with 15 points.
The sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ West champion Huskies will next face Laval in the semifinals Saturday as they seek their first national title since 2020 and third in program history.
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GAELS 69 HUSKIES 54
Julia Chadwick had a monster 25-point, 27-rebound performance in leading the Queen's Gaels to a 69-54 win over the Saint Mary's Huskies.
Emma Weltz and Laura Donovan contributed 16 and 10 points, respectively, for sixth-seeded Queen's.Â
Lucina Beaumont led third-seeded Saint Mary's — the AUS champions — with 15 points. Alaina McMillan chipped in 11 for the Huskies, who will next face Fraser Valley on Friday in a consolation game.
The Gaels now look to snap a rough stretch against Carleton, which has defeated them at the last two OUA finals and the 2023 national title game.Â
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ROUGE ET OR 65 PANDAS 57
Lea-Sophie Verret scored a game-high 18 points to lift the Laval Rouge et Or to a 65-57 win over the Alberta Pandas.
Frédérique Beaudry-Blais, Florence Fortin and Brinly Holt each added 11 points for fourth-seeded Laval.
Jayden Tanner paced No. 5 Alberta with 13 points, while Morgan Harris and Claire Signatovich each had 10. The Pandas will next face the Dinos on Friday in a consolation game.
The Rouge et Or have yet to taste defeat this season, going 16-0 in the regular season before eventually winning the RSEQ crown last Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2024.
The Canadian Press