Steal of two in fifth proves decisive as Einarson wins fourth consecutive Scotties title in Kamloops

Manitoba was sitting three with the hammer as the third end got to skip’s stones. With her final rock, Einarson attempted to freeze to the red stone at the back of the eight-foot but left it just short. Jones was unable to play the tap hard enough and was forced to yet another single.

With a mess of granite in the house, Jones missed a draw to the top of the button to allow Einarson a hit against three red stones for the fourth consecutive single point end to start the final.

The first big blow of the match would come just before the half-way point. Despite a missed shot from Einarson with her final stone in five, Jones would wreck on the guard and give Canada a steal of two and a 4-2 lead at the break.

A centre-line and corner guard went up early in the sixth end, with Manitoba drawing behind the corner with their second stone of the end. Even with the set-up Team Canada was able to force. Einarson played a perfect tap to sit second shot. With her final stone, Jones attempted to play a draw through the port left by the guards but again wrecked and was forced to her third single with hammer.

Manitoba third Karlee Burgess played a picture perfect draw to the button with her first stone in 7, to disrupt what was lining up to be a big end for Canada. Einarson tried to play a raise-double with her first but was only able to get one Manitoba rock moving. Jones then played a double of her own successfully, forcing Canada to a hit and stick for a single.

With the pressure ramped up in the 8^th end, Jones burned through her thinking-clock in an attempt to set up a deuce and try the game. The first from Jones found the eight-foot behind the t-line after curling past a four-stack of guards out front. Einarson would follow the Jones shot down with her final to shrink the scoring area. With limited options, Jones opted for a risky double-run back. Despite making the shot, she couldn’t move the yellow stone out of the four-foot and was forced to her fourth consecutive single.

With the game slipping away in the 9^th end, Jones attempted to run back her own to the button but missed the angle, leaving Einarson with a hit for five and the championship.

by Michael Reeve

Steal of two in fifth proves decisive as Einarson wins fourth consecutive Scotties title in Kamloops

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