WINNIPEG – Jennifer Jones and her St. Vital rink continue to rack up the victories at the Manitoba Scotties Tournament Of Hearts.
In what was their stiffest competition so far, Jones and company recorded a sixth consecutive win, as they knocked off the Fort Rouge Curling Club’s Briane Meilleur 9-5 on Friday night at the Eric Coy Arena. Jones actually trailed 3-1 after three ends of play, but the seven-time champs scored four in the fourth end and a deuce in the sixth end to earn the victory.
The win locked up first place in the pool and the corresponding playoff berth. Team Jones will play in the 1-vs-1 playoff game on Saturday evening against a yet to be determined opponent. Meilleur is still clinging to her playoff hopes with a 3-3 record with just one game left. The top two teams in each group advance.
St. Vital’s Shannon Birchard is tied for second place in the group following a 9-8 victory over Joelle Brown. Birchard stole a single point in the 10th end to break an eight all deadlock. Birchard is at 4-2 but has to face Jones in the final draw of the round robin on Saturday. Brandon’s Cheryl Reed is also still in the running for the second playoff spot after a 6-5 extra end win over Christine MacKay.
In the other game in Friday’s late draw East St. Paul’s Colleen Kilgallen pulled out an 8-7 extra end win over Jennifer Briscoe but both teams have been eliminated from the playoffs.
Black Group Standings Through Draw 12
RELATED: Michelle Englot grabs another win at Manitoba Scotties
In the other pool defending champion and second seed Kerri Einarson won a first place showdown on Friday afternoon. The Einarson foursome defeated the previously unbeaten Michelle Englot rink 7-3. Both teams have 5-1 records and can do no worse than a spot in a tiebreaker game with just one game remaining.
Darcy Robertson’s squad from the Pembina Curling Club kept their playoff hopes alive with a 6-5 victory over Cathy Overton-Clapham. They sit at 4-2 but still control their own fate as they will face Einarson in their final game of the round robin on Saturday. A win by Einarson would send her and Englot through to the playoffs, but a victory by Robertson would set up a tiebreaker game. The other five teams in the pool are all eliminated from playoff contention.
Elsewhere in Friday’s 4:00 pm draw Dauphin’s Lisa Menard defeated Meghan Armit of the West Kildonan Curling Club 9-3. And Portage’s Tiffany McLean earned her first win with a 7-5 triumph over Beth Peterson.
The final is scheduled for 3:00 pm on Sunday.
Red Group Standings Through Draw 12
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