Final CIS Central Regional: X-Women head to nationals with victory over Ravens

Courtesy: Carleton University sports information
 
OTTAWA (CIS) – It was anybody’s game in the Central Regional tournament final, but after consistent shooting from the StFX X-Women, the AUS bronze medal team claimed a 64-59 victory over the host Carleton University Ravens Saturday night at the Nest, sending them to the CIS Final 8 next weekend.
 
CIS championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/wbkb
 
Donisha Young (Brampton, Ont.) recorded 16 points and nine rebounds to lead the X-Women to victory and earn her team a berth in the national championship in Windsor, Ont. March 18-20.
 
Carleton has one last shot at a trip to Windsor and will have to wait on the At-Large berth selection, which will take place tomorrow.
 
The first saw a slow start, with both teams having trouble getting the ball to drop. The Ravens would lead right up until the final seconds but the quarter ended with the score knotted up at 11. The X-Women were consistent with their foul shots in the first ten minutes of play, going a perfect 5-for-5 at the line.
 
After a steal and layup from X-Woman Victoria Anderson (Antigonish, N.S.), the Atlantic team saw its first lead of the match in the second. The remainder of the quarter was just as close as the first, but a basket at the buzzer from Ottawa native Elizabeth Roach resulted in the Ravens leading by two at the half, up 22-20. The X-Women continued to find success at the charity stripe, shooting 8-for-9 in two quarters, compared to the Ravens’ 2-for-6.
 
Carleton held on to its lead for the majority of the third, but with three minutes to go, Kirsten Jones (Scarborough, Ont.) went 1-for-2 from the line, banked her own offensive rebound and sent the X-Women to the top of the scoreboard. StFX dominated on the boards in the quarter, grabbing 15 rebounds to Carleton’s five, and the Ravens went into the fourth down by four, 39-35.
 
The X-Women led by as much as seven in the final quarter. Ravens’ guard Krista Van Slingerland (Waterloo, Ont.), went 2-for-2 from the line to make it a one-point game, but StFX was able to create enough of a cushion in the dying seconds of play to keep the Ravens a few steps behind. With game MVP Ashley Stephen (Scarborough, Ont.) shooting 4-for-4 from the line and 2-for-2 from beyond the arc, the StFX X-Women stamped their ticket to the CIS Final 8 championship. 
 
Three Ravens finished with double digits, led by Kendall MacLeod (Brockville, Ont.), who recorded 16 points and nine rebounds. Ashleigh Cleary (Kemptville, Ont.) finished with 15 and Alyson Bush (Ottawa) contributed 10 points in the loss.
 
The X-Women finished with 41 rebounds, while the Ravens had 28.
 
STAT LEADERS
 
StFX
Points: Donisha Young (16), Ashley Stephen (15), Sheryl Chisolm (11)
Rebounds: Donisha Young (9), Ashley Stephen (9), Kirsten Jones (7)
Assists: Camesha McKenzie (3), Victoria Anderson (3)
 
Player of the game: Ashley Stephen
 
Carleton
Points: Kendall MacLeod (16), Ashleigh Cleary (15), Alyson Bush (10)
Rebounds: Kendall MacLeod (9)
Assists: Alyson Bush (5)
 
Player of the game: Kendall MacLeod
 
SCHEDULE & RESULTS (Eastern Standard Time)
 
Friday, March 11
18:00 Semifinal #1: StFX 82 vs. Alberta 73 
20:00 Semifinal #2: Carleton 62 vs. Winnipeg 59
 
Saturday, March 12
19:00 Final: StFX 64 vs. Carleton 59 
  
-CIS-