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Sweeting, Fleury secure playoff spots at National

SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. — Edmonton’s Val Sweeting and Tracy Fleury of Sudbury, Ont., were the first to qualify for the BOOST National playoffs.

Sweeting defeated China’s Bingyu Wang 8-4 and Fleury topped Jacqueline Harrison of Mississauga, Ont., 7-5 during the seventh draw Thursday at the Essar Centre as they both climbed to 3-0 round-robin records.

It’s been quite the rollercoaster for Sweeting so far this Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season after sweeping through September’s Tour Challenge Tier 1 in Regina and missing the playoffs last month at the Masters in Lloydminster, Sask.

“We didn’t feel that off in Lloyd,” Sweeting said. “I just struggled figuring the ice out. The girls were throwing it great and we were throwing the weight we wanted. I just didn’t get a good read [on the ice] and unfortunately, it was too late when I did finally figure it out.”

The 2009 world champion Wang (1-2) opened with the hammer and jumped out 3-0 with a deuce in the first followed by a steal in the second. Sweeting, who has won three Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling titles, settled for a single in the third and swiped a 4-3 lead with a steal of three in the fourth.

The teams alternated points in five and six and Sweeting looted another in seven. Wang’s only chance to keep the game alive was a split attempt on a guard — and somehow also take out Sweeting’s shot rock — but she peeled out her own stone and didn’t even come close to touching the counter.

“I’m happy we bounced back here,” Sweeting said following the scrappy win. “The girls are playing really well and we’re figuring the ice out. A bit of a sloppy game there, a little bit back and forth and both teams kind of had their chances. Then we got a little short on time so we had to hurry. It was just a crazy game.”

Fleury is also on the rebound after going 0-4 through the Tour Challenge Tier 1 and slipping down the standings to miss out on qualification for entry into the Masters.

With the alternating pairs, Fleury pulled away from Harrison with a three-ender in the fourth. The teams exchanged deuces again in five and six and Fleury limited Harrison (1-2) to just one in the seventh.

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Casey Scheidegger of Lethbridge, Alta., continued her strong play with a 7-4 comeback win over Julie Tippin of Woodstock, Ont.

Scheidegger (2-0) scored two in the second and stole one in the third, however, Tippin (1-1) replied with a three-spot in the fourth and stole one in five to pull ahead 4-3.

Still, Scheidegger shrugged off the three-ender as it’s something her team has become accustomed to dealing with this season.

“It’s normal,” Scheidegger said. “We’re used to it, so it’s no sweat off our back.”

It was all Scheidegger from there though as she responded with a three-count of her own in six, stole one in the seventh and ran Tippin out of rocks in eight to shut the door.

“We struggled a little with rocks,” Scheidegger said. “We didn’t realize until later, I thought I needed a new out-turn not a new rock, but it was a new rock. Once we figured that out it was kind of smooth sailing from there.”

Elsewhere, Allison Flaxey of Caledon, Ont., earned her first win of the BOOST National beating Binia Feltscher of Switzerland 6-3. Both teams have 1-2 records.

Alina Paetz (1-2) of Switzerland also moved into the win column with a 7-4 victory over Edmonton’s Kelsey Rocque (0-3).

The BOOST National is the third event and second major of the 2017-18 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season and features 15 of the best men’s teams and 15 of the best women’s teams from around the globe.

Round-robin play runs through to Friday with the top eight on each side qualifying for the weekend playoffs.

TV coverage begins Thursday at Noon ET on Sportsnet and online at Sportsnet NOW (Canada) and gsoc.yaretv.com (international).

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