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Tracy Fleury in action at the 2015 Meridian Canadian Open in Yorkton, Sask. (Anil Mungal)

Stu Sells Notes: Fleury, Balsdon first to qualify

OAKVILLE, Ont. — Tracy Fleury and Megan Balsdon were the first past the post and into the playoffs at the Stu Sells Oakville Tankard.

Fleury defeated Sherry Middaugh 6-3 during the A-qualifiers Friday at the Oakville Curling Club.

The Sudbury, Ont., native Fleury never trailed in her game with a key turning point in the fourth end. Middaugh, of Coldwater, Ont., had an opportunity to knot it up 2-2 but missed the mark and gave up a steal of one to trail 3-0. Fleury forced Middaugh to take a single in five and took two in the sixth to extend her lead to 5-1.

Middaugh replied with a deuce in seven to narrow the gap and sat three counters in eight, but Fleury locked onto the target with an open hit and stick to ice the game coming home.

Team Fleury’s lineup is different from the one they had during the Oakville OCT Fall Classic. Skip Tracy Fleury, vice Jennifer Wylie and second Jenna Walsh made the trip down last weekend with, coincidentally, Team Middaugh lead Leigh Armstrong as their spare at lead.

Walsh isn’t here this time, however, lead Amanda Gates and fifth Crystal Webster are back in the lineup. Webster is throwing third stones with Wylie playing second and maintaining vice skip duties. Sounds complicated? Of course, but it’s certainly working for them.

Team Fleury now has Saturday off but don’t be surprised if you see sisters Fleury and Wylie around the Oakville Curling Club with their brothers Tanner and Jacob Horgan playing in the men’s Tier 2 event.

Meanwhile, Balsdon, ranked 61st on the World Curling Tour Order of Merit, pulled off another upset with a 7-5 win over Silvana Tirinzoni, ranked No. 3 in the world, to advance to Sunday’s quarterfinals.

The teams traded trios of points in the second and third ends and Balsdon, of Toronto, took the lead for good with a deuce in four followed by back-to-back single steals. Tirinzoni, of Switzerland, settled for a single in seven but came up short of completing the comeback as she unable to get second shot with her last and Balsdon did not have to throw her final stone.

Balsdon defeated another Swiss rink Thursday stunning reigning world champion Binia Feltscher 6-3.

The Word on the Sheet:

– Scotland’s Kyle Smith has qualified in Oakville once again. Last week’s undefeated OCT Fall Classic winner extended his win streak at the Oakville Curling Club to 11 games with a 5-2 victory over Niklas Edin of Sweden during the men’s A-qualifiers.

– Team Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., is also through to the playoffs powering past Peter de Cruz of Switzerland with a pair of four-enders during a 9-4 win. Third Mark Nichols is skipping the team with Brad Gushue sidelined for the start of the season with a groin/hip injury. Super spare Adam Spencer is filling in at third for this event.

– The men’s B-qualifiers are set: Edin plays Winnipeg’s William Lyburn; De Cruz faces Edmonton’s Brendan Bottcher; and Glenn Howard, of Penetanguishene, Ont., takes on Winnipeg’s Reid Carruthers.

– Team Epping is staying wild through the C-side grind. The Toronto-based team lost their first two games, but jumped into the win column with a convincing 7-3 victory over Rob Retchless on Friday. Epping will have to take three straight games Saturday in order to qualify.