Guardian photo by Brian McInnis
Photo: The expression on skip Suzanne Birts face says it all as she watches her shot miss the mark during the sixth draw against Ontario Monday morning.
(by Jody Jewers)
P.E.I. curling fans could be witnessing the dawn of the Homan empire.
Suzanne Birt’s quartet from the Charlottetown Curling club of third Shelly Bradley, second Robyn MacPhee and lead Leslie MacDougall was no match for Homan’s crew from Ontario on Monday morning at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts at the Civic Centre, succumbing 8-2 in eight ends in a game every bit as one-sided as the score indicated.
MacPhee, competing in her sixth Canadian women’s championship, didn’t need many words to sum up how this one went.
“We struggled a little bit, but they came out firing and there wasn’t a whole lot we could do,” said MacPhee.
Indeed. Homan, third Emma Miskew, second Alison Kreviazuk and lead Lisa Weagle were almost surgical in their efficency, with all but Miskew curling at more than 90 per cent. Homan looked unafraid to throw any shot at any time in any situation, hitting at a blistering 97 per cent clip.
P.E.I.’s only points came when Birt couldn’t convert a hit-and-roll for a blank in the fifth end, and on a draw to the button in the eighth after Homan had delivered the final nail in the coffin with a four-spot the previous end.
“They played quite well and we just didn’t quite finish our shots off,” said Birt. “That’s just the way it is and we just have to regroup for tonight.”
Tonight gets no better for the locals, as they have a date with three-time defending champion Jennifer Jones at 7:30. Another loss would put P.E.I. on the brink of elimination with a 1-4 record, though teams with five losses have reached the playoffs before.