MB vs NS in semifinal
[With files from Curling Canada]
Team Canada is a victory away from another layer of Canadian women’s fours curling glory in Thunder Bay, Ont.
The squad skipped by Ottawa’s Rachel Homan—with new coach Jennifer Jones on hand—clinched its trip to Sunday’s national final on Saturday night, defeating Manitoba’s Kerri Einarson 8-4 in the Scotties Tournament of Hearts Page 1-2 playoff at Fort William Gardens.
That makes it 21 straight STOH games without a loss.
Einarson, who won four straight STOH titles with third Val Sweeting between 2020 and ’23, drops into Saturday’s semifinal against Nova Scotia’s Christina Black.
The Bluenosers won a thrilling Page 3 vs 4 playoff match 8-7 over Alberta’s Kayla Skrlik earlier on Saturday.
Skrlik, making her second STOH appearance and first in the playoffs, just missed a bullet in-off double attempt on her final stone to tie the match.
Had the young Calgary skip made it, it would have been special.
A Homan win on Sunday night—against the winner of the semifinal between Einarson and Black—would make it 22 wins in a row. That would tie the record Homan and second Emma Miskew already hold for consecutive Scotties wins.
They set that record by going unbeaten in 2014 (13-0), winning their final five the year before and first four in 2015.
But Homan’s clear priority is another national fours title, which would be the 35-year-old skip’s fifth in her career.
“I mean, these moments are tough, they’re a grind,” said Homan. “You’re playing the best teams in Canada, and we know we need to bring our best.
“It’s exciting for us to rise to the occasion, to the challenge, and thankfully (tonight) it was enough, and I think we’re going to need a little bit more tomorrow.”
Team Einarson—with Karlee Burgess, Krysten Karwacki and Lauren Lenentine in place of Shannon Birchard and Briane Harris—hung tough through five ends. They forced Team Canada to a single in the second end, gave up a steal of one in the third, and then tied it with two in the fifth.
But in the sixth Homan made, arguably, her finest shot of the tournament. It was a precise short in-off through a skinny port that elicited a first pump from the skip.
“I mean, I’ve got the best sweepers, and an unreal line caller—we know how to make those, and in big moments, you know, we go for it,” said Homan of the call to attempt the shot.
“It was all sweepers on a lot of our shots today, and, you know, some great throws, some great line calls, and just a team effort.”
One end later, Team Homan kept applying the pressure and Einarson attempted, and missed, an angle-raise takeout resulting in a steal of two for Team Canada.
Einarson won her second, third and fourth STOH titles via the semifinal route.
“I think if we come out like that (in the semi), maybe a little bit sharper, I think we’ll do well,” said Einarson.
“(We) definitely want another crack at (Homan). Everyone’s out to beat them, they’re on a hot run. We know we just have to play our best, but focus on our semifinal game.”
Nova Scotia’s latest playoff win guarantees the squad a bronze medal.
“It’s so cool,” said Black. “We’re getting a ring! This is great. I’m so excited.”