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Even though Melissa Bigg will graduate from Acton High School this spring, she'll still be able to call herself a Bearcat when she attends classes at the University of Cincinnati starting in August. The 17-year-old from Limehouse has accepted a scholarship offer from Cincinnati to play for its women's varsity soccer team, which is also known as the Bearcats. But the nickname coincidence obviously wasn't a factor when the A student and star midfielder was being wooed by several Division One U.S. colleges. "The reason I chose Cincinnati was because of all of the support they give you academically," the aspiring teacher said while signing her letter of intent last week at Acton High. "The athletic facilities there are very nice and the coach's personality was also a big factor. It's just a nice place to be." Bigg scored seven times during the Erin Mills Eagles' run to a national under-18 championship this past November in Edmonton and has helped the Bearcats to two Halton high school finals. She has also just been invited to a Canadian Soccer Association training camp and is in the midst of the Ontario Indoor Cup playdowns Cincy gets Bigg boost with her Erin Mills' club team. "Endurance is a big asset for me," Bigg noted. "I have a lot of determination to score goals, but I also want to help out defensively." The Bigg family used to reside in Georgetown South, but parents Andrew and Cidilina decided to purchase a two-acre lot outside of town a few years ago, in large part to accommodate the outdoor activities of their athletically gifted children Melissa, Matthew and Holly. "We had to move out of where we lived because we were constantly chasing soccer balls down the street and all over the neighbourhood," Cidilina sighed. "My husband was going crazy, so he built a full-sized soccer pitch for them in the backyard." Multi-talented Melissa, who is captain of the undefeated Acton senior girls' volleyball team and is badminton MVP, said she'd love to close out her Bearcat (high school) career with a Halton soccer championship this coming May. As for the Cincinnati Bearcats, Bigg is joining a rebuilding squad that has won just 12 games in the past three seasons, but coach Meridy Glenn is excited about the team's six incoming recruits. --By Eamonn Maher, staff writer Georgetown Raiders' forward Travis Kauffeldt is stopped on this wraparound attempt by Streetsville netminder Tyler Gordon during the second period of their OHA Provincial Jr. A Hockey League contest on Saturday at the Mold-Masters SportsPlex. Gordon made 39 saves in the Derbys' 1-0 win. Photo by Eamonn Maher Raiders to open playoffs Saturday With the OHA Provincial Jr. A Hockey League playoffs slated to start this weekend, it appears as though the Georgetown Raiders will play a team that has had their number during the regular season. The Streetsville Derbys won the season series with Georgetown 4-1, capped by a 10 piece of thievery at the Mold-Masters SportsPlex on Saturday night. Derby goalie Tyler Gordon stopped all 39 shots directed his way and Streetsville got a late power-play goal from Felice Turano off a screened point shot that beat Georgetown goalie Ryan Gibb. Just when it seemed the third-place Raiders had overcome their scoring troubles, they were shut out for the first time on home ice during the 2005-06 campaign. The recent acquisitions of forwards Travis Kauffeldt, Jeremy Whelan and David Jarman have bolstered the club's offensive punch, but the Derbys, who will host the national championship tournament in May, looked like the more-determined group during Saturday's contest here. "We controlled the game and we just couldn't put them away, but things will be different in the playoffs," said veteran Raider winger Wade Finegan. "As long as we have Gibber in net, if we put in three or four goals for him, we're going to win." Melissa Bigg signs her letter of intent to attend the University of Cincinnati on a soccer scholarship, as Acton High School principal Bert O'Hearn (left) and physical education department head Spike Adams look on. Photo by Eamonn Maher Georgetown finished up the regular season with a 27-16-4-2 record, beating the last-place Sabres in Buffalo 10-3 Monday evening in a meaningless contest. The OPJAHL's West Conference firstround playoff matchups hadn't been set heading into the final night of the regular season last night (Tuesday), but it was likely that the Raiders, who won eight of their last nine games, will play Streetsville. Seventh-place Brampton had to defeat the Derbys on home ice last night in regulation time to grab the sixth playoff spot. The Raiders went 3-1-1 against the Capitals this year. The Derbys have played just as well recently, with just one loss in their last 10 outings. What is known is that the Raiders will host a playoff game Saturday at 7:30 p.m. In Georgetown's 7-3 win in Bramalea on Thursday, Kauffeldt and Whelan scored twice each as the visitors outshot the Blues 48-36. Erik Lundmark, Jarman and Frank DeAngelis rounded out the Raider scoring. Rookie George Lovatsis of Unionville notched a hat trick for Georgetown in Buffalo on Monday, with singles added by Kauffeldt, Mike Gurtler, Greg Lever, Jesse Adams, Jarman, Wade Finegan and Matt Sitko. --By Eamonn Maher, staff writer