Rockin’ the house

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This article was published 24/02/2009 (6376 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VICTORIA — Jennifer Jones was bored. Barb Spencer was stressed.

But in the end, they both got the same result here at the 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts yesterday — a pair of victories.

Winnipeg’s Jones, playing as Team Canada, neatly plucked a New Brunswick counter off the four-foot with the final rock of the game to defeat Andrea Kelly’s Fredericton foursome 5-3 Monday afternoon and then stole a 6-5 victory from Ontario’s Krista McCarville Monday night.

Meanwhile, one sheet over on both draws, it was Team Manitoba’s Spencer playing a delicate hit-and-roll with the final rock of her game against Yukon/NWT’s Kerry Galusha to emerge with an 8-7 victory and then getting a miss from Newfoundland’s Heather Strong in the final end Monday night to win by a deceptively lopsided score of 8-3.

The wins improved Jones to a perfect 5-0 and put her alone in first place heading into today. The wins for Spencer give her team new life at 2-3, after opening at 0-3.

Jones said after the New Brunswick win that she enjoyed throwing a last rock in the 10th end in an event where she has otherwise demolished opponents and played just 21 ends in three games headinng into Monday.

But Jones also made clear her views on playing a game in which New Brunswick did its utmost to avoid having any rocks in play — a style of play that many coaches use against the Jones team, who thrive on mixing it up and capitalizing on opponents’ misses.

"To be honest, we find it a bit boring," said Jones. "That’s good for them if that’s the way they play. They stuck to their game plan and we came away with the win."

Which is also what Spencer came away with Monday. But they made it interesting against Yukon/NWT. They led 7-2 heading into the fifth end break but gave up steals of two, one and one in the seventh, eighth and ninth ends respectively to suddenly find themselves needing to make a shot with the last rock of the game to win.

But Monday night, Manitoba was clearly in control against Newfoundland and Spencer was buoyant when she emerged from the ice. "We’re finally playing like we can," said Spencer.

Spencer missed the playoffs in two previous trips to this event, but she believes she’s still in the hunt even with three early losses.

"They’re all must-wins," said Spencer, "but I also still think that four losses will still get you into the playoffs."

Manitoba second Brette Richards, a Scotties rookie who recorded her first ever nationals win here Monday, said her team is keeping the task in front of them in context.

"We’re trying not to think about having to win eight games in a row," said Richards. "We’re looking at it as though we just need to win four and then start all over again."

Meanwhile, Jones third Cathy Overton-Clapham was icing her left knee Monday night, the same knee she had scoped back in 2006.

Overton-Clapham said the back-to-back games here are taxing her knee, which she aggravated a few weeks ago and which required a cortisone shot before she came here.

But she said the problem is a minor one and will not keep her out of action.

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

TEAMs TIE HISTORIC HIGH C5

STANDINGS

(Following 7th draw)

 

Province (Skip) W L

Canada (Jones) 4 0

B.C. (Mallett) 4 0

Alberta (Bernard) 3 1

P.E.I. (R.J.MacPhee) 3 2

Quebec (M.F.Larouche) 3 2

Ontario (McCarville) 2 2

New Brunswick (Kelly) 2 3

Manitoba (Spencer) 1 3

N.L. (H.Strong) 1 3

Nova Scotia (McConnery) 1 3

Saskatchewan (Lawton) 1 3

Yukon/NWT (Galusha) 1 4

Monday results

 

Seventh draw

Canada 5 New Brunswick 3

Manitoba 8 Yukon Territories 7

Eighth draw

Canada vs. Ontario (late)

Manitoba vs. Nfld./ Labrador (late)

 

Today’s games

 

Ninth draw, 9:30 a.m.

Canada vs. Saskatchewan

Manitoba vs. British Columbia

Draw 11, 8:30 p.m.

New Brunswick vs. Manitoba

Yukon Territories vs. Canada