PROVINCIAL CHAMPS
MacPhee rink earns P.E.I.’s berth at national Scotties Tournament of Hearts
The Robyn MacPhee rink won the Scotties and the Eddie MacKenzie foursome claimed the Tankard Sunday at the provincial curling championships in Summerside.
It was mission accomplished for the Robyn MacPhee rink on Sunday.
The Al Ledgerwood-coached squad from the Charlottetown Curling Complex defeated clubmate Veronica Smith 7-5 to win the Scotties provincial women’s curling championship.
“It’s really exciting,” said third Sarah Fullerton, who is originally from Cornwall and now resides in Travellers Rest. “We played a really busy schedule on the World Curling Tour, we did eight events. That was all with this goal in mind. We wanted to best prepare for this weekend, and get to the Scotties.”
Next stop for MacPhee, Fullerton, second Meaghan Hughes and lead Michelle McQuaid is the national Scotties Tournament of Hearts in St. Catharines, Ont., from Feb. 18 to 26.
“We’ve put a lot of time and effort in this year to make sure we played as many games as we could,” said Hughes, who lives in Charlottetown. “I’m especially proud of this team, and how we played.”
MacPhee stole single points in the final two ends for a comefrom-behind win in the titleclinching game at the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Community Complex on Sunday. A Smith win would have forced a winner-take-all final later in the day.
“It was a tough game,” said McQuaid, who calls Cornwall home. “They certainly gave us a run. There were some ups and downs, but we had to tough it out and stick to it.”
MacPhee completed the modified triple-knockout format with a 4-1 record. Smith and her teammates – third Jane DiCarlo, second Whitney Young and lead Aleya Quilty – who are coached by Angela Hodgson, finished 4-3.
“It definitely wasn’t easy,” admitted Fullerton, 25. “It was definitely a challenge, there were some good teams here, we had to bring our best game and dig deep a couple of times. I am just really proud that we were able to play as a team and do that.”
Smith led 4-0 after three ends, but MacPhee, who lives in Charlottetown, refused to panic.
“We decided we were going to try and make a game of it, make all our shots and see what happens,” said MacPhee, who cut the deficit to 4-3 at the fifth-end break, counted a deuce in the eighth end to tie the score 5-5 and stole the game’s final two points when Smith was heavy on draw attempts in the ninth and 10th ends.
“Our goal (in the ninth end) was to steal, or keep them to one, preferably steal,” said MacPhee, 33. “We got a good one in (the top four-foot), guarded it with our life and got lucky.”
Hughes, 31, and McQuaid, 25, quietly provided some clutch and hard sweeping on numerous occasions. When told after the game the duo certainly earned their money in the final, McQuaid chuckled, “We certainly did, but that’s what we are here for.”