(by Larry Wood). Suddenly, it’s a real horse-race. With seven teams operating within a game of one another at the top of the Scotties Tournament Of Hearts heap.
Defending champion Amber Holland of Kronau, Sask., gassed a last-rock draw looking at three in an extra-end Tuesday night at the Enmax Centrium to create a three-way traffic jam at the front of the field with four more units barking at the heels of the leading trio.
Manitoba, Alberta and Quebec each won twice on the day and it was British Columbia (Kelly Scott), Team Canada (Holland) and Manitoba (Jennifer Jones) operating at 5-and-2 with New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Quebec at 4-and-3.
Holland’s match against Quebec’s Marie-France Larouche developed into a disaster for the champs.
“We had control of the whole game until the last few ends and there were a few key misses there and that’s what happens,” moaned Holland.
“I had an opportunity for the win twice and didn’t make it either time.”
Scott erased the sour taste of a 7-4 afternoon loss to Alberta by defeating Heather Strong (2-5) or Newfoundland 11-7.
Jones won a pair earlier, 8-3 over Nova Scotia and 8-7 in an extra end over Saskatchewan.
Alberta capped its two-win day on the late shift hitting for four in the ninth to double Prince Edward Island’s Kim Dolan 10-5.