December 17, 2013
Winter Universiade: Canadian men off to semis, women finish sixth
TRENTINO, Italy – Brendan Bottcher and his team from the University of Alberta finished off the round robin in winning form on Tuesday and are headed for the semifinals at the Winter Universiade curling tournament.
Despite a morning loss to Switzerland’s Mario Freiberger, Bottcher and his squad of Michael Lizmore (third), Brad Thiessen (second), Karrick Martin (lead) and Parker Konschuh (alternate), with coach Rob Krepps, had already qualified for the playoffs before the final game, thanks to their 6-2 record.
The morning match at the Baselga di Pine Ice Stadium featured multiple stolen ends. The Canadians gave up three in the first end, but scored a deuce in the second and stole three more singles to lead 5-3 at the break. Freiberger came back with a single in the sixth, then stole five more points over the next three ends for the 9-5 Swiss win.
In the final round robin game against Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson on Tuesday night, Bottcher and his squad served notice they were more than ready to take on the previously undefeated leaders. The Canadians led 6-0 after the three ends. They allowed the Swedes to take their deuce in four, then hit back with four more in the fifth for a 10-2 lead at the break. Eriksson was able to score one in the sixth before conceding the 10-3 Canadian victory.
With the win, Canada (7-2) finishes the round robin in second place behind Sweden (8-1) and advances to the semifinals. Looking for their first FISU medal since they won the inaugural Universiade tournament in 2003, the Canadian men will return to the ice Thursday at 3 a.m. EST (9 a.m. Trentino) to face Great Britain (6-3), an opponent they beat 5-4 in their tournament opener on Dec. 12.
The other Final Four matchup will see Sweden battle either the United States (5-4) or Norway (5-4), who will face off in a tie-breaker on Wednesday.
The bronze-medal match is also scheduled for Thursday, at 9 a.m. EST, while the tournament final is set for Friday at 8 a.m. EST.
On the women’s side, Laura Crocker’s playoff hopes were crushed by a 9-5 loss to South Korea’s Ji Sun Kim in the final game of the round robin. Trailing 6-1 at the fifth-end break, Crocker and her Wilfrid Laurier University team of third Sarah Wilkes, second Jennifer Gates, lead Cheryl Kreviazuk, alternate Breanne Meakin and coach Garry Coderre, battled back with three points in the sixth and a steal in the seventh, but the Koreans held off the challenge.
The Team Canada women finish in sixth place with a 4-5 record, matching their result from two years ago in Turkey. Undefeated Anna Sidorova of Russia qualifies at the top of the standings, followed by Switzerland’s Michele Jaeggi (7-2), Great Britain’s Hannah Fleming (6-3) and South Korea’s Kim (6-3).
Source: Courtesy of Canadian Curling Association
Despite a morning loss to Switzerland’s Mario Freiberger, Bottcher and his squad of Michael Lizmore (third), Brad Thiessen (second), Karrick Martin (lead) and Parker Konschuh (alternate), with coach Rob Krepps, had already qualified for the playoffs before the final game, thanks to their 6-2 record.
The morning match at the Baselga di Pine Ice Stadium featured multiple stolen ends. The Canadians gave up three in the first end, but scored a deuce in the second and stole three more singles to lead 5-3 at the break. Freiberger came back with a single in the sixth, then stole five more points over the next three ends for the 9-5 Swiss win.
In the final round robin game against Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson on Tuesday night, Bottcher and his squad served notice they were more than ready to take on the previously undefeated leaders. The Canadians led 6-0 after the three ends. They allowed the Swedes to take their deuce in four, then hit back with four more in the fifth for a 10-2 lead at the break. Eriksson was able to score one in the sixth before conceding the 10-3 Canadian victory.
With the win, Canada (7-2) finishes the round robin in second place behind Sweden (8-1) and advances to the semifinals. Looking for their first FISU medal since they won the inaugural Universiade tournament in 2003, the Canadian men will return to the ice Thursday at 3 a.m. EST (9 a.m. Trentino) to face Great Britain (6-3), an opponent they beat 5-4 in their tournament opener on Dec. 12.
The other Final Four matchup will see Sweden battle either the United States (5-4) or Norway (5-4), who will face off in a tie-breaker on Wednesday.
The bronze-medal match is also scheduled for Thursday, at 9 a.m. EST, while the tournament final is set for Friday at 8 a.m. EST.
On the women’s side, Laura Crocker’s playoff hopes were crushed by a 9-5 loss to South Korea’s Ji Sun Kim in the final game of the round robin. Trailing 6-1 at the fifth-end break, Crocker and her Wilfrid Laurier University team of third Sarah Wilkes, second Jennifer Gates, lead Cheryl Kreviazuk, alternate Breanne Meakin and coach Garry Coderre, battled back with three points in the sixth and a steal in the seventh, but the Koreans held off the challenge.
The Team Canada women finish in sixth place with a 4-5 record, matching their result from two years ago in Turkey. Undefeated Anna Sidorova of Russia qualifies at the top of the standings, followed by Switzerland’s Michele Jaeggi (7-2), Great Britain’s Hannah Fleming (6-3) and South Korea’s Kim (6-3).
Source: Courtesy of Canadian Curling Association
