(by Jason Malloy)
It took an extra end and a big shot in the ninth for Kathy O’Rourke to score a pair of wins on the opening day of action at the P.E.I. Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Charlottetown.
The O’Rourke rink is tied atop the standings at the five-team event with Shirley Berry at 2-0. She knocked off the defending champs, the Suzanne Birt rink, 8-6 in an extra end and Kim Dolan 8-4 with a triple in the ninth and final end.
© Guardian photo by Heather Taweel
Kathy O’Rourke calls to the sweepers during play Thursday at the P.E.I. Scotties Tournament of Hearts provincial women’s curling championship in Charlottetown.
“We expect that at this level,” O’Rourke said. “All the teams are pretty equal out here and it’s probably going coming to come down to a last rock or even an extra end.”
O’Rourke won the night contest with Dolan after leading 5-4 going to the ninth.
Dolan’s last shot was a bit heavy providing Robyn Green, who throws skip stones for the O’Rourke rink, to throw a hit for the triple.
Berry improved to 2-0 by opening with a 7-6 extra end victory against Dolan in the afternoon and an 8-5 nine-end victory in the nightcap.
After Jackson scored a deuce in the fifth to take a 4-2 lead, Berry replied with a triple in the sixth, a deuce in the seventh and a single in the eighth.