CRUNCH TIME FOR LOCALS

SCHEIDEGGER RINK DROPS TWO STRAIGHT AT SCOTTIES

Lethbridge rink in need of victory for chance at Page playoff

Team Wild Card, skipped by Kerri Einarson, improved to 9-2 in Friday evening’s draw at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts with a 6-4 victory over Lethbridge’s Casey Scheidegger, dashing any hopes Scheidegger had to advance to the Page playoff round.

It was the third straight setback for the Lethbridge rink after a solid preliminary round where they went 6-1 in pool play.

Einarson, Manitoba and Nova Scotia were all 8-2 heading into the final playoff championship match and all recorded victories in the evening to finish tied at 9-2. The fourth rink to advance to the Page playoff was Northern Ontario at 8-3.

Earlier Friday, Einarson maintained top spot following an 8-5 loss to Team Canada’s Michelle Englot at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

Einarson’s last rock came up light as they tried to get it to park on the button. That gave Team Canada (6-4) a deuce.

“Yeah, it’s a little frustrating, but we came out not as sharp as we had been,” said Einarson, whose team is from East St. Paul, Man. “We just got to pick it up for the next game (Alberta).”

Einarson and her team of third Selena Kaatz, second LIz Fyfe and lead Kristin MacCuish, will block out the loss adding they need to push forward and keep that first spot.

“We need to come out tonight and play better,” she said.

A steal of one for a 6-2 lead saw Manitoba’s Jennifer Jones (8-2) shake hands with Scheidegger earlier than expected in eight ends.

“I was a little bit surprised, but in a way both teams have a big game tonight so it’s nice to have a little bit more of a break and maybe that’s what they were thinking,” said Jones, who has Shannon Birchard as a third — filling in for Kaitlyn Lawes playing mixed doubles in the upcoming Winter Olympics — second Jill Officer and lead Dawn McEwen on her team.

Jones had a 3-1 lead after four ends. Alberta scored one more point in the fifth end, then Manitoba rattled off three straight points.

In other playoff action, Nova Scotia’s Mary-Anne Arsenault (8-2) scored a triple in the eighth end to put a dagger into B.C.’s Kesa Van Osch (4-6), 10-4.

Arsenault said she can’t complain as everyone on her team is playing well and they secured a spot into the Page playoff.

“We seemed to have a bit of a lull in the middle ends where we didn’t get our rocks perfectly placed, but luckily the other team wasn’t able to take advantage of our error,” said Arsenault, who plays with Christina Black (third), Jennifer Baxter (second) and lead Jennifer Crouse.

The top four teams advance to the Page playoff today. Semifinal and final action is on Sunday.