News Masters

LLOYDMINSTER, Sask. — Rachel Homan is still in it to win it at the Masters.

The reigning world champion from Ottawa held off elimination in the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling major tournament Thursday with a 6-3 victory over Edmonton’s Val Sweeting.

Homan, a three-time Masters champion, now has a 1-2 record — falling to Michelle Englot and Casey Scheidegger — with one round-robin game remaining Friday against Kerri Einarson.

“We weren’t upset with how we were playing before,” Team Homan third Emma Miskew said. “Obviously, there were some things we wanted to work on and we played against a couple teams that were playing really well. A couple bad breaks on Rachel’s shots that picked, so we were trying to continue to build and not really worry about it too much.

“I think every team is building for December, so what happens now isn’t like the be all and end all. We were just trying to learn from every game out there, learn from the ice and finding a good set of rocks to give to Rachel and go from there. It’s just one step at a time right now.”

Sweeting, who opened with the hammer, was forced to settle for a single in the second. Homan scored a deuce in the third, but it was a bit of a missed opportunity as she had a hit for three and rolled out.

Facing three, Sweeting’s last in the fourth came up well short of the house and Homan stole to extend her lead to 5-1. Looking at a couple counters in five, Sweeting hit and stuck on the button for just one.

Homan matched with a single in the sixth although it almost looked like it was going to be a steal of two as her shooter ticked off one her own and rolled right into the gap.

It was another missed chance for Sweeting in the seventh with one in her pocket and a possible draw for two, but the rock slid out of the rings. Homan held the hammer in the eighth and ran Sweeting out of rocks.

“It’s tricky and it’s hard to make all your shots,” Miskew said. “The first game both teams struggled with the ice but they made a few more than we did. The last game against Scheidegger they didn’t miss much. We were trying to keep it close at the beginning, hope for no picks and go from there.”

Sweeting, who went 7-0 to win the season-opening Tour Challenge Tier 1 in September, has been eliminated from playoff contention with a 0-3 record.

Masters: Scores | Standings | Draw Schedule | TV Schedule

Elsewhere, Einarson (3-0) qualified for the playoffs with an 8-4 victory over Casey Scheidegger of Lethbridge, Alta. Scheidegger is already clear through finishing round-robin play with a 3-1 record.

Einarson earned a spot in the Masters by winning the Tour Challenge Tier 2 title.

Scotland’s Eve Muirhead (3-1) also advanced at 3-1 following a 10-7 win against Anna Hasselborg (2-1) of Sweden.

Russia’s Anna Sidorova (2-1) ousted defending Masters champ Allison Flaxey (0-3) of Caledon, Ont., 8-5.

In the lone men’s division game, Calgary’s Kevin Koe (3-0) qualified with a 7-1 win over Toronto’s John Epping (0-3).

NOTES: The Masters is the second event and first major of the 2017-18 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season. … Round-robin action runs through to Friday with the quarterfinals and semifinals Saturday and finals set for Sunday. … Action continues at 7:30 p.m. MT on Sportsnet ONE and online at Sportsnet NOW (Canada) or gsoc.yaretv.com (international).