Kim Dolan (CCA photo by Andrew Klaver)
(By Larry Wood) First a two-year lease on a Ford gas buggy, then a first-round upset victory over Alberta at the Scotties Tournament Of Hearts.
Was Saturday the biggest curling day ever for skip Kerry Galusha and her Yellowknife team?
“To beat a team like that and win a car (in the Ford Hot Shots skills competition)? Yes, that was the biggest day,” said Galusha, a veteran skip from a notoriously competition-bare precinct.
However, a decidedly unfunny thing happened to the Polars in the second end of Saturday night’s second Scotties round at the Enmax Centrium. Prince Edward Island’s wiley Kim Dolan cracked a six-ender to spoil the ultimate party and post an eventual 9-5 decision.“We had three goals today,” Galusha said just prior to dinner time. “Oh well, we got the first two.”
Galusha won the Ford Hot Shots skills competiton around lunch time, then proceeded to defeat Heather Nedohin of Edmonton 8-7 in an afternoon extra end.
“To beat a team like that and win a car? Yes, that still was the biggest day,” said Galusha.
“But we had some issues with team dynamics tonight. Megan (lead Cormier) was sick all night and she stayed in bed all day but wanted to play tonight.
“It wasn’t the best decision. She had to go out after four ends.
“We just weren’t the same team we were in the first game. And, yet, if we don’t give up the six it would have been different.”
Dolan hit for the biggie after a blank first end. Polar third Sharon Cormier missed both her shots and Galusha followed suit.
“We hadn’t been like that all day,” moaned the Yellowknife skip.
The Island skip chuckled when told she’d ruined the day’s best story.
“I’m sorry to do that but that six-ender is hard to defend,” she said. “It was great to get it in one way but no so good in another.
“She (Galusha) had draw weight for the rest of the game. If she’d put hers in there with all those stones in the second end I’d never have gotten it out. It was just unfortunate that she didn’t have draw weight then and I was lucky to get it.
“We’re really happy with 1-and-1 and we’ll go from there.”
The Polars battled back with a couple of deuces to reduce the deficit after five ends but were outscored 2-1 over the remainder.
Click for the rest of the story on Draw Two of the Scotties at the CCA website.