Chelsea Carey ran Val Sweeting out rocks in the final end to clinch an 8-5 victory and capture the Jiffy Lube Alberta Scotties Tournament of Hearts title Sunday in Calgary.
It was an intense back-and-forth battle with Sweeting, who entered the event as the double defending champion, holding a 4-2 lead after six ends. Carey made an open hit to score three in the seventh end and jump ahead by one. Sweeting faced two counters in eight and the team dragged their final stone just enough into the eight-foot circle to avoid the steal and knot it up 5-5.
The Calgary-based Team Carey earned another huge three-ender in nine to reclaim the lead.
Carey was competing in her third straight provincial final with a third different team. She won the Manitoba Scotties in 2014 before heading west later that year. She played with Laura Crocker, Taylor McDonald and Jen Gates last season and finished runner-up to Sweeting.
Earlier Sunday, Carey cruised into the final with a 9-3 win over Edmonton’s Jessie Kaufman during the semi.
Team Carey — featuring third Amy Nixon, second Jocelyn Peterman, and lead Laine Peters — jumped out to a 5-0 lead scoring a deuce in the first and stealing singles in three straight ends. Kaufman settled for a single in five to get on the board. Carey kicked out Kaufman’s shot stone to score a deuce in six. Kaufman gave up a steal of two in the seventh, scored a deuce in eight and shook hands.
Sweeting finished with a 3-0 record in the A-side of the triple knockout, qualifying with an 8-3 win over Carey in the bracket final Thursday night to advance. Team Sweeting, from Edmonton, stole a point in the 10th end to edge Carey 5-4 in the A vs. A page playoff Saturday and swipe a spot in the final.
The Scotties Tournament of Hearts runs Feb. 20-28 in Grande Prairie, Alta.