The Veronica Smith-skipped UPEI Women’s Panthers will be returning to the CIS/CCA curling nationals following a come-from-behind win this afternoon in the B final at the Atlantic University Curling Championships at the Capital Winter Club in Fredericton New Brunswick. The UPEI team was trailing 7-5 after seven ends, after their opponents, the Sara Spafford team from SMU, picked up five points in the fourth end. Smith blanked the eighth, scored a deuce in the ninth to tie the game at 7, and stole a single in the final end for an 8-7 win.
Smith lost a close 4-2 decision to the Saint Mary’s team in their low-scoring opening game on Friday, which the UPEI team described as “a nail-biter ’til the last rock”. UPEI was scheduled to play against the loser of a game between UNB and DAL Saturday, but DAL withdrew from the tournament, and the Panthers were given a bye in that game, and advanced to the another nail-biter, the B semi-final game this morning against Acadia, skipped by Micayla Dorey, which UPEI came from behind to win on a measure in an extra end by a 7-6 score. Smith was trailing 4-2 after five, but took a single in six, and stole the next three ends to pull ahead. Dorey tied the game with a deuce in the tenth, and Smith won the game on the measure in the extra.
UNB, skipped by Jennifer Armstrong, won the “A” final Saturday evening, stealing five points in the 9th end in an 11-4 victory over SMU.
Photo: UPEI Women’s Panthers
The Panthers team includes third Jane DiCarlo, second Emily Gray, and lead Aleya Quilty, with coach Paul Smith. The UPEI and UNB women both advance to the CIS/CCA championships, March 19-23 in Regina.
Meanwhile, the UPEI Men’s Panthers, skipped by Kyle Holland, lost their B semi-final game this afternoon 9-2 to the UNB team, skipped by Josh Barry, who stole 4 points in the opening end to grab an early lead. SMU, skipped by Scott Babin, beat Barry 8-2 in the B final. The Colin-Thomas team from MUN team edged SMU 7-6 in an extra end to win the A final Saturday night.
The winners of the A and B finals both advance to the CIS/CCA championships, March 19-23 at Regina’s Callie Curling Club, with the University of Regina as host.
The UPEI men’s team lost their opener on Friday 9-4 to the MUN team, who were the 2011 Canadian university champions, but rebounded with a 7-3 win over the St. FX team skipped by David Quinn on Saturday, to advance to this morning’s “B” semi-final
Photo by UPEI Women’s team: UPEI Men’s team in action at the Atlantic Univ. Ch’ships
Other members of the UPEI men’s team are third Connor MacPhee, second Andrew Cameron, Lead Taylor McInnis, with Coach Eric Pidgeon.