Kali Pocrnic scored the highest with 25 points as the Carleton Ravens began their title defense with a 75-58 victory over the Fraser Valley Cascades on Thursday at the women’s basketball Final 8 in Edmonton. U Sports women’s basketball Final 8 in Edmonton.
Jacqueline Urban contributed 12 points, while Kyana-Jade Poulin scored 11 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and made six assists for the second-seeded Carleton.
Maddy Gobeil and Julia Tuchscherer each scored 15 points for the seventh-seeded Fraser Valley.
The Ravens came into this year’s tournament as the reigning two-time OUA champions and defending national champions. Carleton now moves on to Saturday’s semifinal, facing Queen’s.
HUSKIES 85 DINOS 54
Gage Grassick led with 19 points, eight rebounds and seven steals as the Saskatchewan Huskies defeated the Calgary Dinos 85-54.
Carly Ahlstrom added 14 points and five steals, while Maya Flindall scored 11 points off the bench for top-seeded Saskatchewan.
Myriam Kone scored 15 points for eighth-seeded Calgary.
The Canada West champion Huskies will next go up against Laval in the semifinals Saturday as they aim for their first national title since 2020 and third in program history.
GAELS 69 HUSKIES 54
Julia Chadwick had a remarkable 25-point, 27-rebound performance in leading the Queen’s Gaels to a 69-54 victory over the Saint Mary’s Huskies.
Emma Weltz and Laura Donovan contributed 16 and 10 points, respectively, for sixth-seeded Queen’s.
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 aim to end a tough stretch against Carleton, which has beaten them in the last two OUA finals and the 2023 national title game.
ROUGE ET OR 65 PANDAS 57
Lea-Sophie Verret scored the highest at 18 points to lead the Laval Rouge et Or to a 65-57 win over the Alberta Pandas.
Frédérique Beaudry-Blais, Florence Fortin and Brinly Holt each contributed 11 points for fourth-seeded Laval.
Jayden Tanner led No. 5 Alberta with 13 points, while Morgan Harris and Claire Signatovich each had 10. The Pandas will next play the Dinos on Friday in a consolation game.
The Rouge et Or have yet to experience a loss this season, going 16-0 in the regular season before eventually winning the RSEQ crown last Saturday.
