Birt squad rallies late

P.E.I. Scotties Tournament of Hearts underway in Montague

Defending-champion Suzanne Birt needed a late rally on Friday afternoon.

The Summerside native and her Charlottetown Curling Complex rink trailed clubmate Lisa Jackson 6-5 after eight ends, but counted four with the hammer in the ninth end en route to a 9-6 win at the Montague Curling Rink.

It was the opening game for this year’s new-look Birt rink, which includes third stone Robyn Green, second stone Meaghan Hughes and lead Marie Christianson, at the 2016 P.E.I. Scotties Tournament of Hearts provincial women’s curling championship.

Jackson, who doubled Sarah Fullerton of the Charlottetown Curling Complex 10-5 in Friday morning’s opening draw, fell to 1-1.

In the other Draw 1 game, Tammy Dewar of the host Montague club counted a deuce in the 10th end with lastrock advantage to edge Shelly Bradley 7-6 of Charlottetown.

Dewar is 1-1 after losing to Charlottetown’s Kim Dolan-skipped rink of third stone Rebecca Jean MacDonald, second stone Sinead Dolan and lead Michala Robison 7-4 in Draw 2. A three-ender by Dolan, who had the hammer, in the ninth end broke a 4-4 draw.

Three games are scheduled for Draw 3 today at 9 a.m. Birt will face Dolan, Fullerton takes on Dewar and Bradley meets Jackson.

There are also draws scheduled for 2 and 7 p.m. Games will also take place-Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m.

The six teams are playing a modified triple-knockout format, with the winning rink representing P.E.I. at the national Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Grande Prairie, Alta., from Feb. 20 to 28.