Winter Universiade: Canadian men improve to 6-0, women back in win column

TRENTINO, Italy – The Canadian men’s and women’s teams had a perfect Sunday at the Winter Universiade curling tournament as the University of Alberta’s Brendan Bottcher and Wilfrid Laurier University’s Laura Crocker cruised to victory in the fourth day of round-robin play.
 
Bottcher and his team of Michael Lizmore (third), Brad Thiessen (second), Karrick Martin (lead) and Parker Konschuh (alternate), with coach Rob Krepps, scored seven straight points in the first four ends to defeat Italy’s Marco Pascale 7-1 in morning action at the Baselga di Pine Ice Stadium.
 
In the evening game against the Czech Republic’s Lukas Klima, Bottcher held his opponents to singles while scoring three points in the second end and three more in the eighth on the way to an 8-5 victory.
 
Bottcher now sits at the top of the men’s leaderboard, still tied with Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson, both with 6-0 records. Team Canada will meet USA’s Chris Plys (3-3) in its only game on Monday.
 
On the women’s side, Crocker put four straight losses behind her to overpower China’s Xue Yi Wang 10-2 in just seven ends.
 
Crocker, with third Sarah Wilkes, second Jennifer Gates, lead Cheryl Kreviazuk, alternate Breanne Meakin and coach Garry Coderre, scored five points in the fifth end and stole another two in the sixth to take a commanding 9-2 lead. The Chinese gave up another point on a Canadian steal in the seventh before conceding.
 
The win moves Team Canada women into seventh place with a 2-4 record. On Monday, Crocker and her squad will face USA’s Cory Christensen (1-5) and Japan’s Sayaka Yoshimura (3-3), aiming for two wins to keep Canada’s playoff hopes alive.

Source: Canadian Curling Association