Laurier Women, Waterloo Men remain undefeated at CIS/CCA University Championships

WELLAND, Ont. – After two days of competition at the CIS/CCA University Curling Championships hosted by Brock University at the Welland Curling Club, only two teams remain undefeated. The three-time CIS/CCA Champion Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks, led by skip Laura Crocker (Scarborough, Ont.), have a perfect 4-0 record as they look to capture their fourth national title in five years. “We have been playing really strong as a team and we really stuck together through a few tough ends and helped each other out which has been working our way,” said Laurier skip Laura Crocker. “The level of competition is really strong and university curling has come such a long way in the past few years and it just shows with how well these teams are playing out on the ice. I would say university curling in Canada is pretty close to the rest of the world.” On the men’s side, the 2012 OUA Champion University of Waterloo Warriors, led by 2010 Canadian Junior Champion Jake Walker (Minden, Ont.), continue to roll as they seek their first-ever CIS/CCA national championship. “We have just been doing what we have been doing all year,” said Waterloo skip Jake Walker. “We have been pretty successful in putting things together and making shots. It’s all about making shots. We are going to take it step by step and the only game that really matters is that final.” Going into Day Three of the championship on the women’s side, both the Manitoba Bisons and host Brock Badgers are tied for second with 3-1 records. The Alberta Pandas are 2-2 while the Saint Mary’s Huskies, Memorial Sea-Hawks, Western Mustangs and Guelph Gryphons all sit at 1-3. The men’s pool has the Alberta Golden Bears, skipped by 2012 World Junior Champion Brendan Bottcher (Sherwood Park, Alta.) and Manitoba Bisons in second place with 3-1 records. The Winnipeg Wesmen and Brock Badgers have identical 2-2 records. The Carleton Ravens and UPEI Panthers are both 1-3 while the Acadia Axemen are still looking to record their first victory. The five-day event continues on Friday with Draws 5 and 6 taking place at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. The final draw of the round robin will take place Saturday at 9 a.m. The semi-finals are scheduled for 7 p.m. that night with the finals taking place at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon.