Courtesy of Paige Kreutzwieser (Host organizing committee) / Photo credit Andrew Burant

WOMEN'S FINAL: Carleton Ravens 9, Alberta Pandas 4

Draw 9: Women

The 2014 CIS/CCA University Curling Championship women’s final was held Sunday at 1:30 pm at the Callie Curling Club in Regina, Saskatchewan and saw the University of Alberta Pandas (6-1) battle against the Carleton University Ravens (6-2). The Ravens secured a gold medal victory with a 9-4 victory in nine ends over the Pandas.

After round robin action, the 2014 Canadian Junior Champions and World Champions Alberta Pandas were sitting in first place giving them an automatic berth to the finals. Carleton travelled through the semi finals with a 6-4 win over Wilfred Laurier University to secure their spot in the gold medal match.

A clean and open first end left Alberta’s skip Kelsey Rocque with a last rock hit but rolled out for a Carleton steal of one. The second end saw more rocks in play. Carleton skip Jamie Sinclair, with her first rock, was able to double off Alberta’s stones with a nice roll to be sitting one. A tough break on Alberta’s last rock was a lost opportunity to take three. Carleton took the steal making it a 2-0 lead for the Ravens.    

Sinclair stayed aggressive in the third end but Alberta’s Keely Brown (third) was able to sink one behind a guard. Sinclair was forced to a corner freeze on her first rock which ended heavy, but a mistake on Rocque’s first stone left a double opportunity for Carleton. Rocque came tight on her last rock going up against two Carleton stones in the four foot and after a measurement, Carleton jumped ahead to a 4-0 lead.

The fourth end left Alberta in a tough spot to gain points as Carleton was able to keep a clean end and force Rocque to blank the end to keep hammer in the fifth.

Late in the fifth end, Alberta called a timeout as they were sitting one on the button between two Carleton stones. Alberta elected to freeze, but Brown came up short and tight. After a Carleton timeout on Sinclair’s last rock, a missed shot left a port open for Alberta. Rocque came up tight to only score one and trail 4-1 going into the fifth end break.

Carleton gave Alberta more chances in the sixth as Ravens’ Laura Horton (third) came tight on both her shots giving Alberta opportunities to set up points. Sinclair was able to plug up the hole leaving Rocque with little options on her final stone. Carleton came out of the end with two points making it a 6-1 lead.

The seventh end left Alberta with a double opportunity on Rocque’s first shot, putting pressure on Carleton for one of the first times throughout the game. Carleton’s last rock saw three Alberta stones in the rings leaving Sinclair to double off two and lay around. Rocque was able to hit and stick giving her Pandas two points to trail by three after seven ends.

Going into the eighth end with a 6-3 lead, Carleton’s Lynn Kreviazuk (second) showed her strength with a double peel. But with a missed peel on her second shot and a heavy rock by Horton, Alberta was able to sit a protected shot on top of the button. Giving up a steal of one, Carleton led 6-4 going into the ninth end with hammer.

After climbing back from a five point deficit, Alberta was able to take control of the ninth end. But with a miss on Rocque’s first stone, Sinclair had a hit to sit two. With the championship on the line, Rocque’s draw came up short giving Carleton a draw for three points and a 9-4 victory.

With the loss Alberta takes silver with a second place finish in the 2014 CIS/CCA University Curling Championship with a 6-2 record. The gold medal finish for Carleton sends the squad to Granada, Spain to represent Canada at the World University Games in 2015. 

MEN'S FINAL: Manitoba Bisons 7, Alberta Golden Bears 5

Draw 9: Men

The University of Alberta Golden Bears (6-2) went up against the University of Manitoba Bisons (6-1) in the men’s final of the 2014 CIS/CCA University Curling Championship Saturday at 5 pm CST held at the Callie Curling Club in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Bison came out victorious after an extra end battle gave them a 7-5 win over the Golden Bears.

Manitoba received a berth into the finals after they ended the round robin in first place with a 6-1 record. Alberta upset the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks in the semi final match with a 9-4 victory in eight ends and gained themselves a ticket to the gold medal match. Both the Golden Bears and Bisons teams included Canadian Junior Curling champions with Alberta’s Brendan Bottcher (skip), Evan Asmussen (third), and Landon Bucholz (lead) claiming the title in 2012 and Manitoba’s Matt Dunstone (skip) and Daniel Grant (second) taking the title in 2013.

In the first two ends of the game, Manitoba took the opportunities to blank and carry hammer over into the third end.

The third saw more rocks in play, with Manitoba sitting three at Alberta third Evan Asmussen’s second rock. His triple attempt left two Bison stones still in the rings. With a freeze by Bottcher on his last rock, Dunstone was left with a draw to the four foot to take a 2-0 lead over the Golden Bears.

A hit and roll by Dunstone in the fourth end that rolled just too far left a back-line take out for Bottcher to take two and tie up the score 2-2.

A hit and roll by Bottcher left three Alberta stones counting top of the house in the fifth end. Manitoba’s attempt to double rubbed off the guard. After an Alberta time out, Bottcher settled on throwing another guard. Dunstone was left with a draw to limit the Golden Bears to a steal of one, taking a 3-2 lead at the fifth end break.

The sixth end saw Manitoba miss an early advantage to bury as Grant rubbed off his own guard but Jim Coleman (third) was able to do the job. Asmussen answered with a freeze to sit for one on his last rock. In the end, Manitoba’s front men held the line on Dunstone’s last rock hit to secure them two points and a 4-3 lead.

With a missed hit by Alberta’s Asmussen in the back half of the seventh, Manitoba was given the opportunity to secure a steal. Coleman’s throw turned out heavy giving the Golden Bears a path to the button. Dunstone opted for a hit and roll off his own rock to knock out Alberta’s stone, leaving the Bisons sitting three. Bottcher answered with draw to the button to take one and tie the game 4-4 after seven ends.

In the eighth, Alberta’s Asmussen was given an opportunity to double off Manitoba’s first and second shot stones to sit three. With Alberta again laying three at Manitoba’s last rock, Dunstone’s hit gave the Golden Bears a steal of one and a 5-4 lead over the Bisons.

Down by one point in the ninth, Manitoba was forced into the position to blank the end to take hammer into the tenth. Alberta’s Thiessen cleared the house with his second shot of the tenth end causing Manitoba to restart their two point attempt. Manitoba had an opportunity for a raise run-back for the win, which over curled giving the Bisons one point and sending the game into an extra end.

The eleventh end saw a draw by Dunstone behind a high guard belonging to the Golden Bears. With pressure on Alberta, Bottcher drew to the top of the four foot, but a tap-back by Dunstone left Manitoba sitting two. Bottcher needed a full four foot draw to win but came heavy giving Manitoba a steal of one and the gold medal victory with a 7-5 final score.

The loss for Alberta gives them a silver medal in the 2014 CIS/CCA University Curling Championships with a second place 6-3 record. The win for Manitoba means a ticket to Granada, Spain to represent Canada at the World University Games in 2015 and a gold medal in the 2014 CIS/CCA championships with a 7-1 record.

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE (local SASKATCHEWAN time)

Wednesday, March 19th
2:00 p.m. - Draw # 1
8:00 p.m. - Draw # 2

Thursday, March 20th
10:00 a.m. - Draw # 3
3:00 p.m. - Draw # 4

Friday, March 21st
9:00 a.m. - Draw # 5
2:00 p.m. - Draw # 6

Saturday, March 22nd
9:00 a.m. - Draw # 7
 
7:00 p.m.
MEN Semi-final: Alberta Golden Bears 9, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks 4
WOMEN Semi-final: Carleton Ravens 6, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks 3

Sunday, March 23rd
1:30 p.m. - WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL Carleton Ravens 9, Alberta Pandas 4
5:00 p.m. - MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP Manitoba Bisons 7, Alberta Golden Bears 5