W-Soccer Roundup: Toronto, Trent and the Battle of Ottawa highlights midweek action

The Carleton Ravens stole a point away from Wednesday night’s match against the no. 3 ranked Ottawa Gee-Gees thanks to a last-minute goal by striker Adrianna Ruggiero in extra time. The referee blew the final whistle just moments after the third-year Raven potted the ball in the far bottom corner of the net, earning a 1-1 tie for the 3-1-1 Ravens.

The Gee-Gees remain undefeated on the year at 3-0-2, and maintained their lifetime unbeaten streak against the Ravens, but felt the sting of the last-minute strike. “It was disappointing, but we tied and we get to play them again,” said fourth-year defender Maris Barnabe. “I can sit here and analyze a lot of different things, but the fact is they came out and put forward a really good game,” echoed defender Chelsea Lanos.

The garnet and grey defence were inundated with pressure throughout the second half with the visitors holding possession deep and testing rookie keeper Julia McDonald with seven second half shots. McDonald was tested early on but closed off a short angle nicely, and later reached to poke a strong shot off the crossbar.

Gee-Gee sophomore Alexandra Girouard made three saves in the first half, including a fine diving stop on a low drive, as Carleton out-shot the Gee-Gees 10-6 overall.

Ottawa had pulled ahead in the first half after Krista Draycott beat Ravens’ keeper Elizabeth MacDougall to a long arching service placed by rookie Hannah Landry, and headed the ball into the net at the 39-minute mark.

“Overall I thought they wanted it more than us, and that was really apparent at the end of the game which is unfortunate,” said Barnabe. “We need to figure out going forward how to play calm for ninety minutes, all the way to the end. I was trying to tell the team to relax, because we need to trust our skills and we can do it.”

Lanos was also active before the game, organizing a fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, where she has volunteered and worked in the neurosurgery department. Fifty per cent of the proceeds from the game’s ticket sales will be donated to the CHEO Foundation, and the halftime featured a special tribute song written and performed by Ottawa artist Angela Marie.

“We had a really good turnout, with some patients and their families so I saw a lot of familiar faces out,” said Lanos. “It was really nice to see the community come out and support not only a good rivalry but a good cause as well.”

Source: Ottawa Sports Info