Team Homan oust Team Hasselborg in KIOTI Tractor Champions Cup quarterfinals
REGINA — Canada’s Rachel Homan avenged a loss to Sweden’s Team Hasselborg earlier in the week during pool play at the KIOTI Tractor Champions Cup by taking the rematch in Saturday’s quarterfinals.
Homan, who fell short 10-8 Thursday, came out on top in the playoffs 7-6.
Anna Hasselborg is on maternity leave and second Agnes Knochenhauer, who is also expecting a baby, moved up to skip for the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season finale. Third Sara McManus threw fourth stones, alternate Johanna Heldin filled in at second and Sofia Mabergs continued to lead things off.
The 12-time Grand Slam champion Homan scored a game-breaking count of five points in the fourth end to lead 6-1 at the break.
Team Hasselborg battled back — much like Team Homan did the other day — scoring a deuce in the fifth, forcing their opponents to a single in the sixth and then counting two more in the seventh. That closed the gap to 7-5 but handed Homan the hammer for the final frame. Homan faced two on her last rock and made a hit on the second shot rock that was left wide open to advance.
Homan will face Tabitha Peterson, whose American team earned a bye to the semifinals.
Canada’s Kerri Einarson also took the bypass to the final four and will face Japan’s Satsuki Fujisawa, who eliminated Canada’s Jennifer Jones 7-3.
It was the final game for Team Jones with second/vice skip Mackenzie Zacharias, who is stepping back next season to focus on her career and other interests.
Meanwhile, Canada’s Brad Gushue bounced Scotland’s Ross Whyte 7-4 and Sweden’s Niklas Edin doubled up on Team Dropkin from the United States 6-3 in the men’s quarterfinals.
Dropkin was resting after winning gold in the world mixed doubles championship last week in South Korea. Andrew Stopera, who normally skips and throws third, tossed last rocks and lead Thomas Howell slotted up at vice skip. Ben Richardson subbed at lead while Mark Fenner remained at second.
Canada’s Brendan Bottcher and Matt Dunstone held the byes to the semifinals. Bottcher draws Edin and Dunstone goes up against Gushue.
UP NEXT
The men’s and women’s semifinals at 8 p.m. local time (10 p.m. ET).
Watch live on Sportsnet One or 360 plus Sportsnet NOW (Canada) and Yare (international).
