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 Canada 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.
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.
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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
