BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
For the last couple of years, the Laurentian
University women's basketball team has been one the best squads
in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) scene.
Yet, even with their remarkable seasons, the
Lady Vees have fallen early in the OUA playoff rounds the last
two seasons, providing bitter
disappointment to the entire team and coming
up short on their never-ending quest for another OUA
Championships.
This season, however, the Lady Vees finished
third in the OUA East Division with a 15-7 record, behind the
University of Ottawa and the University of Toronto.
The Lady Vees will host the Ryerson Rams
tonight at the Ben Avery Gymnasium in an OUA quarterfinal
contest. The winner advances to the next
round, while the loser packs up their gear
and begins thinking about next year.
Game time is 7 pm.
With the unforgiving pressure of being the
team to beat resting on other clubs, head coach Mike Clarke is
hoping for a different result in this year's playoff
round.
"Running from the front hasn't been to our
benefit psychologically," said Clarke. "It's definitely
different this year. It remains to be seen though. If we win,
then finishing third was a good thing. If we don't, then it
didn't help at all. You have a different psychology when you're
not the favourite. I think it has taken the pressure off us.
Everybody feels more excited and confident going into the
playoffs this year."
The Lady Vees defeated Ryerson in two games
this season. The team must remain in control of their emotions
and keep a strong attack for ball possession to dispose of the
Toronto competitors again.
"We're not taking them lightly," said Clarke.
"Rebounding is going to be big for us. We also have to keep our
composure because Ryerson is a very aggressive team and
physical. If we compete with them on the boards, keep our cool,
and execute our game plan, we should do fine."
Clarke is looking for greatness from his best
players who will pit themselves against Ryerson.
"We are looking for Tierney Hoo and Cassandra
Carpenter to lead the way," said Clarke. "They are our two best
players and they are doing things the way they need to right
now. Everybody else is also doing well playing their
roles."
The women had much to celebrate this past
weekend besides a playoff berth, as Cassandra Carpenter broke
the OUA record for most points scored in a single season.
Carpenter entered the weekend 47 points short
of tying the mark of 418, held by York's Karen Jackson.
Against Royal Military College, Carpenter was
unbelievable as she posted 39 points in a 102-40 win.
Carpenter then dumped in 17 points against
Queen's University on Saturday to set the new OUA record of 427
points.
Carpenter's reign at the top could be short
lived as Brock University's Jodie Ebeling has 413 points with
one game to play tonight against Wilfrid Laurier.
"It's remarkable how she can play
consistently at a high level," said Clarke. "She has a huge
heart."