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Team Silvernagle advances to finals, Team Anderson in semis of Viterra Scotties

Jan 27, 2019 | 8:41 AM

Team Silvernagle v. Team Anderson recap

A back and forth, tight game of curling between Team Silvernagle and Team Anderson to book a spot in the 2019 Scotties Viterra Women’s Provincial Curling Championship Finals in Humboldt blew wide open.

Silvernagle took a 2-0 lead early after two, then Anderson responded to tie.

Right before the mid-game break, Silvernagle took another two-point lead at 4-2, then Anderson cut the deficit by one.

The eighth end looked like it was going to keep the match tight, until a massive turning point.

Sherry Anderson, team skip, missed on a shot with her final rock in the eighth, meaning to use her guard to knock out some of Silvernagle’s rocks in the circle, although it only took out her guard and nothing more.

Robyn Silvernagle, team skip, proceeded to ice a rock in for a three-point eighth end and a 7-3 lead. A point in the match which she considered the defining moment.

“That was, I think maybe a little bit of a let down for them,” Silvernagle told northeastNOW. “We really tried to capitalize on that. When we got our three we knew we were in very good control.”

After Team Silvernagle got three rocks in vertically in the circle, Team Anderson tried a Hail Mary of curling shots to get her team a point but ended up conceding after Silvernagle took the 8-3 lead in the ninth.

“We didn’t play real well,” Anderson said. “They played well but we didn’t put a whole bunch of pressure on them. We weren’t quite as sharp as we’ve been the last few games, so we’ve got to come out, regroup, and play like we were playing the last few games and be a little sharper.

“You can’t have complete misses against teams like that, or they’re going to capitalize and then you’re behind the eight ball, got to play more precise shots, and gamble if you’re down. We have to put the pressure on our opposition, get good shots in good positions, and then good things will happen.”

 

Team Anderson preview

The good news for Team Anderson playing in the first seed v. second seed match is they’re still alive and will play Team Streifel in the semi-final, with the winner playing Team Silvernagle in the final.

It’s a path unfamiliar to Sherry Anderson, as her team won last year’s Scotties Viterra Women’s Provincial Curling Championship by winning the semi-final and defeating Team Silvernagle in the final.

“It would have been nice to be in the final, but as long as we win the game tomorrow in the semi’s I don’t mind going back into the final after having played in the morning,” Anderson said. “We’re still playing on Sunday so that’s not a bad thing. We’ll come out and fire at them. We’ve got nothing to lose.”

Team Anderson hasn’t played Team Streifel since they won their only meeting 8-6 in Draw One. They’ll play the semi-final in Humboldt at Elgar Petersen Arena on Sunday, Jan. 27 at noon.

 

Team Silvernagle preview

For the third year in a row, Team Silvernagle has made the Scotties Viterra Women’s Provincial Curling Championship Finals.

The spot in the finals is one that seven other teams in the round robin portion of the tournament would love to have, but for Team Silvernagle, the goal is to finally win the provincials.

In 2017, Team Silvernagle defeated Team Lawton with the same stakes to get a bye to the finals. Her team would lose in the finals 10-7, after Team Barker scored four points in the tenth and final end.

Team Silvernagle beat Team Barker in the round robin portion that year.

The next year in 2018, Team Silvernagle defeated Team Eberle and received a bye to the finals. Her team would lose in the finals 7-6, after Team Anderson scored the game winning point in the tenth and final end.

Team Silvernagle also beat Team Anderson in the round robin portion that year.

So, will there be any extra or different preparation this go around? Anything new to get the finals monkey off their backs?

According to Robyn Silvernagle, the team will still prepare for the finals like any other game they’d played in this tournament.

“I think some of us will probably watch [Anderson v. Streifel],” Silvernagle said. “We have a practice in the morning so that’s good. Get us back in the rink just throwing and feeling really good.

“Today was a good little practice run for tomorrow, being off all day. We’ll just do that, spend some time with our families, take our minds off curling for a bit, come back, and really be focused.”

Team Silvernagle is 2-0 against Team Anderson after the round robin and first playoff game. They also defeated Team Streifel 6-5 in Draw Nine.

The finals of the 2019 Scotties Viterra Women’s Provincial Curling Championship will take place at 5 p.m. in Humboldt.

 

aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow