YORKTON, Sask. — Reigning world champion Alina Paetz of Switzerland powered past Scotland’s Eve Muirhead 9-3 and advanced to the A-qualifier game of the Meridian Canadian Open on Wednesday afternoon.
After giving up a steal in the first end, Paetz earned a three-ender in the second and stole two in the third to go ahead 5-1. The teams alternated points in four and five, Paetz forced Muirhead to another single in six and nailed a double takeout with her last shot in seven for the three-count that brought out the handshakes.
“We came out strong and it makes it easier for us for the rest of the game,” Paetz said. “But it’s always a big fight against Eve and good for us to win.”
“It’s pretty good to decide the game like that but I was a little bit lucky because I thought it was a little outside but it worked,” she added. “Good win for us.”
Paetz (2-0) now faces Ottawa’s Rachel Homan for a playoff spot in the A-side finals.
“It feels pretty good,” Paetz said. “We struggled a bit over the last couple weeks and feels great to be back like this and especially on a Slam.”
Team Homan moved up to a 2-0 record on the day with a 6-1 win over Binia Feltscher of Switzerland.
Homan scored two in the first, stole singles in the second and third and swiped two in the fourth to lead by six and then held Feltscher to one point in five.
Elsewhere in A-side action, Edmonton’s Val Sweeting got the single in the extra end for a 7-6 win over Tracy Fleury, of Sudbury, Ont.
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Meanwhile, Sherry Middaugh, of Coldwater, Ont., defeated Saskatoon’s Stefanie Lawton 6-2 in a B-side battle.
Middaugh took two in the second and stole one in the fourth to lead 3-0 at the break. Lawton came back with a deuce in five but Middaugh added a single in six and stole two coming home.
Calgary’s Chelsea Carey scored four in the seventh and ran EunJung Kim of South Korea out of rocks in eight to win 9-6. Carey stays in the B bracket while Kim dropped to C-side.
NOTES: The Meridian Canadian Open is the fourth stop — and third major — on the 2015-16 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season and runs through to Sunday. … The event features a triple knockout where teams must win three games before they lose three in order to qualify for the playoffs. … Watch live coverage of the Meridian Canadian Open on Sportsnet starting Thursday at noon ET / 9 a.m. PT.
