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Tough start for champs!
TEAM CANADA FALLS SHORT IN 2020 SCOTTIES OPENER
MOOSE JAW, Sask. — The challenges were reflected in Chelsea Carey’s expression.
“Well, we just struggled,’’ confessed the defending Scotties Tournament of Hearts championship skip following the 2020 edition’s opening draw Saturday at Mosaic Place
“We had a couple of bad picks that were unlucky, cost us a deuce early and maybe a steal in the next end. And then we missed some opportunities. When they had an opportunity, they made it.
“We’ve just got to get better next game, come out a little sharper, keep learning the ice and make more shots.”
Carey and her crew from Calgary’s Glencoe Club — third Sarah Wilkes, second Dana Ferguson, lead Rachel Brown and coach Dan Carey — opened defence of the crown with a disappointing nine-end 7-4 loss to Krista McCarville’s Northern Ontario rink from Thunder Bay, in Pool A.
McCarville and her crew of third Kendra Lilly, second Ashley Sippala, lead Jen Gates and coach Rick Lang for all intents and purposes put the outcome to bed in the eighth end via an open draw for three to open up a four-shot lead.
The cutting-edge difference in the skips showed; McCarville curling 78 per cent to 53 per cent for Carey.
“You want to come out and play your best game no matter what,’’ said McCarville. “But to come out with a W is a bonus. I felt good on the ice and the speed was consistent.
“It’s a little bit of a bonus, playing a team like that and winning.”
The result was not what Team Carey wanted but the week is still young, reminded coach (and dad) Dan.
“At the end of the day, just didn’t make enough shots,’’ he reasoned. “It happens. Confidence is obviously paramount to anybody. Chelsea’s a little harder on herself than she should be sometimes. She just has to get back to believing and making the shots she can. You can lose your confidence one shot to the next. That’s the hard part of the game; that’s the mental game. The ones who manage it best are the ones who win.”
In other games, skip Robyn Silvernagle and host Saskatchewan (North Battleford) trimmed Andrea Crawford’s New Brunswick (Oromocto) foursome 6-4, Mary-Anne Arsenault and her Nova Scotia team (Halifax) trimmed Kerry Galusha and the Northwest Territories (Yellowknife) 8-6 while Corryn Brown and the rest of the B.C. representatives (Kamloops) felled Suzanne Birt’s Prince Edward Island team (Montague) 8-6.
Saturday’s late draw is scheduled for 6:30 CST.
The 2020 Scotties Tournament of Hearts continues with draws Sunday at 8:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. (all times CST).
Live scoring, standings and statistics for the 2020 Scotties Tournament of Hearts are available at www.curling.ca/scoreboard/
TSN and RDS2 (streamed on ESPN3 in the United States) will provide complete coverage of the 2020 Scotties Tournament of Hearts. CLICK HERE for the complete schedule.
For ticket information for the 2020 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, go to www.curling.ca/2020scotties/tickets/
This story will be available in French as soon as possible at www.curling.ca/2020scotties/nouvelles/?lang=fr