CRANBROOK, B.C. — Michelle Englot and her Winnipeg-based team are off to their first career Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling final at the Tour Challenge.
Englot edged Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg 6-5 in Saturday night’s semifinals draw after giving up a steal in the eighth but made no mistake with her last shot of the extra end drawing for the winning point.
It was the second big win of the day for Englot after stunning five-time Grand Slam champ Rachel Homan of Ottawa earlier during the quarterfinals.
“It was a good start for our day for sure,” Englot said. “I struggled to start in the Homan game but we made the right shots when we needed to. I think we built off of that momentum in this last game. Pretty much I think controlled this whole game. Went to an extra end but we hung in and made a great team shot at the end.”
The Regina-based Englot, an eight-time Saskatchewan rep at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, joined third Kate Cameron, second Leslie Wilson-Westcott and lead Raunora Westcott this year after their previous skip Kristy McDonald stepped back from competitive curling and the foursome are playing in their first Pinty’s GSOC event as a unit.
“We struggled with a little bit of consistency early, but I think that’s part of building a new team and I think we’re finally getting there,” Englot said. “We’re getting to know each other and know what it takes to help each other out. We get along well on and off the ice so it’s been a good start to the year so far.”
Edmonton’s Val Sweeting made it through to the final with a 9-2 rout over WFG Masters champ Allison Flaxey of Caledon, Ont.
Although Sweeting didn’t open with the hammer, it was no problem for the 2014 Masters champ as she took the steal train into the lead early and rolled right through the first four ends building an eight-point advantage.
“Even though we didn’t have the hammer we had the set of rocks that we wanted,” Sweeting said. “I think that we were really confident having that good lineup going in because we’ve had a few different ones throughout the week that reacted differently, so we had a lot of confidence knowing what they’re going to do going in.
“I think the team played really well. It was a little bit of a tricky out there tonight, again, but that’s kind of how it’s been. We just stayed patient and stuck it through.”
Val Sweeting reacts after wrapping up a 9-2 victory over Allison Flaxey in the Tour Challenge semifinals to secure a spot in the championship game. (Photo: Anil Mungal)
Sweeting swiped two in the first as Flaxey crashed on a guard with her last. Flaxey struggled again in the second as her final rock of the end pinballed off two counters but couldn’t bump the third, which counted for shot and another steal.
The woes continued for Flaxey in the third as her last hooked and came up short of the house to give up four. Flaxey attempted a raise takeout in the fourth and missed for another single steal.
Sweeting explained that even though she was firmly in the lead, there was still potentially half a game to go and wasn’t willing to take anything for granted against a team riding a 10-game Pinty’s GSOC series winning streak.
“They’re a really good team and you expect them to make good shots to get back into the game,” She said. “We just wanted to stay tough out there and make our shots the best we can.”
Flaxey got on the scoreboard with a deuce in the fifth to break the shutout and put the pressure on in six. Sweeting, finally in control with the hammer, iced the game with a brilliant in-off to put up another point on the chart and bring out handshakes.
“That end wasn’t looking great but it’s easy when we’re trying to open it up like that,” Sweeting said. “The girls swept my first one really well and we got in a good position. The in-off was a good way to seal up the game.”
Sweeting said reaching the final means a lot to her after going winless through the WFG Masters two weeks ago and dropping her first match at the Tour Challenge to Sherry Middaugh of Coldwater, Ont. It’s been all good since then as the team has rocketed out to a five-game tear.
“We did feel like we played really well in that game [against Middaugh] and I think that’s what kept us in it,” she said. “The team’s been playing really well and the girls have been on top of what the ice is doing out there. I think that’s the key, no excuses just do what we need to do to make the shots and that’s been working for us.”
Sweeting, second Dana Ferguson and lead Rachel Brown won their first career Grand Slam title just over two years ago at the Masters with super spare Cathy Overton-Clapham. Lori Olson-Johns joined the crew full-time following that event and Team Sweeting were finalists at the Masters last season.
The Tier 2 women’s final features Krista McCarville of Thunder Bay against Jacqueline Harrison of Mississauga in an all-Ontario championship game. The winner of the Tier 2 will move up to the elite ranks and receive a berth to the 2017 Meridian Canadian Open, Jan. 3-8 in North Battleford, Sask.
Watch the women’s finals on Sportsnet & SN NOW at Noon ET / 11 a.m. MT followed by the men’s finals on Sportsnet East, Ontario, West & SN NOW at 3:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. MT.
