Tippin secures Pool A, Howard remains perfect at Road to the Roar pre-trials
SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Julie Tippin of Woodstock, Ont., locked up first place in Pool A with a 6-5 win over Tracy Fleury of Sudbury, Ont., on Friday at the Road to the Roar Olympic curling pre-trials.
Tippin drew for the winning point in the 10th end, securing Pool A with a 4-2 record while knocking Fleury (2-4).
“We’re so relieved, it’s nice to have that done,” said Tippin, who won’t see action again until the first round of the playoffs Saturday. “We were going to be in quite a mess of a seven-way tie, so we’re so thrilled. Both teams came out and played incredible games, everyone on the ice. It was just a well-played game.”
The seven-way tie was avoided with the Tippin win, but it still left five 3-3 teams — Edmonton’s Kelsey Rocque, Halifax’s Theresa Breen, Calgary’s Nadine Scotland, Winnipeg’s Shannon Birchard and Shannon Kleibrink of Okotoks, Alta. — and just two available playoff spots.