CIS CORNER: RAVENS UPSET GEE-GEES IN WOMEN'S HOCKEY PLAYOFF OPENER

There must be an easier way to become a campus hero than stop 53 shots -- nevertheless, Carleton Ravens goalie Valerie Charbonneau did just that last night against the Ottawa Gee-Gees, the No. 4-ranked team in Canadian university women's hockey. Laura Jackson completed a hat trick 11:50 into overtime to give the Ravens a 5-4 victory in Game 1 of their best-of-3 Quebec conference semi-final.

Improbable? Carleton had never beaten Ottawa before, never scored five goals in a game this season (league play only) and finished 14 points behind the Gee-Gees in an 18-game regular season. Jackson's three goals were only one less than she scored in the regular season -- and her total of four tied for the team lead!

The Ravens trailed for only 40 seconds all night (Carly Snell got their first goal -- also her first in the CIS immediately after Ottawa opened the scoring six minutes in), and almost had it won in regulation before the U of O's Kayla Hottot scored with 1:07 left. That could have broken Carleton's spirit, but not on this night. Charbonneau, who had done quite enough already, made 10 more saves in the extra session before Jackson ended it.

Ottawa will still play in and host the nationals from March 16-18, but would probably prefer not to lose in the first round and go two weeks between games -- it would kind of hurt their conditioning, not to mention being able to build a buzz for the nationals.

Kanata's Kristina Romeo had a goal and two assists for the Ravens. Stef Kegler chipped in a goal for the Gee-Gees, while Kim Blain and Kim Kerr each had two helpers for Ottawa, who will try to tie it up in Game 2, 7 p.m. Friday at Carleton's Ice House.

OUA women's hockey honours: Nepean High School alumna Fiona Aiston received the conference's Marion Hillard Award for outstanding achievement in athletics, academics and community leadership. Aiston, a Laurier Golden Hawks assistant captain, has been very active in assisting kids who have disabilities and speech disorders.

Congrats to a pair of Queen's Golden Gaels -- Liz Kench was named rookie of the year, while Michelle Clark-Crumpton was a second-team all-star selection.

Liveblog/on location update: Work commitments are going to keep yours truly away from the Carleton-Ottawa men's basketball playoff on Saturday. If the women's hockey series goes to Game 3, we'll see about some kind of coverage for The Decider, which would go 2 p.m. Sunday at the U of O.

Volleyball virtuoso: Gee-Gees leftside Christine Lamey, of Kanata, was named a second-team all-Canadian yesterday on the eve of her team's quarter-final game vs. the Laval Rouge et Or at the CIS women's volleyball championship in Calgary (Thursday, 2 p.m. Eastern). It's the second straight all-Canadian selection for the A.Y. Jackson alumna, who topped the OUA in five offensive categories while leading the Gee-Gees to the conference title.

That's all for now. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.