THUNDER BAY – It’s down to four teams at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
For the second time in three years, Thunder Bay’s Karlee Everist and Team Nova Scotia are among the teams still alive to play on Saturday.
Nova Scotia, skipped by Christina Black, on Friday night doubled up Corryn Brown’s British Columbia foursome, stealing a pair in the 10th end to put away a 10-5 triumph in the 3-4 qualifier, setting up a do-or-die game against Alberta’s Kayla Skrlik.
Skrlik advanced with a 9-8 win over Ontario’s Danielle Inglis, claiming the first Scotties playoff win of her career.
“It feels really awesome, I’m very excited,” said Everist, whose team landed in the 3-4 qualifier after a 10-5 defeat at the hands of defending champion Rachel Homan in the 1-2 qualifier.
“There was a lot on the line in that game, especially after playing against Rachel this morning and not coming out super hot, to come out that game and play very well and win that game means so much and we’re so excited to get to this point.”
Black got the Bluenosers started on the right foot, making a hit for two in the first. Brown rubbed a guard in the second end and gave up a steal of one and then was held to one in the third.
Up 4-3 at the break, Black orchestrated another deuce in the sixth, then stole another single in the seventh when Brown tried a double and instead made a nose hit, leaving a Nova Scotia stone in scoring position.
Taking advantage of B.C. mistakes was part of the game plan, Black said.
“We got to play earlier today, and we’ve had a lot of good games in a row, so that was our plan, to take advantage. If someone makes a mistake, that’s when you really focus and capitalize and keep the pressure on,” Black said.
“We just tried to keep pressure on them the entire game.”
Held to one in the ninth to go up 8-5, Black cluttered the rings with rocks and left Brown with no opportunity to score
Everist said the Nova Scotia team, which includes second Jennifer Baxter and third Jillian Brothers, just wants to continue to build on what they’ve been doing this week at Fort William Gardens, home of the 2025 Scotties.
A fourth-place finish isn’t good enough this time around, she said.
“We really want to get that notch up,” Everist said. “We want to at least make it on the podium. That’s what we want. So, we’re going to go out there and just do what we did today.”
Skrlik said she’s happy to have found success in Thunder Bay.
Team Alberta never trailed against Ontario, taking a 5-3 lead at the break and scoring three with hammer in the eighth to extend their lead to 9-4.
Inglis did battle back with deuces in the ninth and 10th but left an open hit for Skrlik to claim victory.
‘We’re so happy to be in the 3-4. If we would have dropped-dropped today it would have been a devastating post-game debrief, but we’re very, very happy to be here,” she said.
The 3-4 Page playoff is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday, with the winner advancing to Sunday’s semifinal against the loser of the 1-2 Page playoff between four-time champions Kerri Einarson and Rachell Homan.
That game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Gardens.
