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Wrana earn first win in GSOC series at Champions Cup

CALGARY — Sweden’s Isabella Wranå has ended her run at the Humpty’s Champions Cup on a high note.

The 19-year-old world junior champion stole points in five ends during a 6-2 upset win Friday over Scotland’s Eve Muirhead to earn her first career win in the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling.

Wranå played the spoiler as the loss also dropped Muirhead to a 1-3 record and eliminated the four-time Grand Slam champ from playoff contention.

“It feels great to win a game against these kinds of good teams,” Wranå said. “It gives us a bit of confidence after the three losses. Especially when we had two extra-end losses it feels great to have a win.”

While Wranå also heads home at 1-3 she said it’s been a great experience playing in her first Pinty’s GSOC event.

“It has been great watch curling and play curling events against the best teams in the world,” said Wranå, whose older brother Rasmus plays second on Team Niklas Edin. “It’s amazing. You learn a lot and we will work even harder to get here again.”

Muirhead opened with the hammer but struggled from the start. With Wranå sitting two counters during the opening end, Muirhead drew in on top with her first skip stone. The 2013 world champ Muirhead misfired on her last as it clicked off her own and handed Wrana a point.

There was a quarry in the second end with 14 rocks in play prior to Muirhead’s last, but she wrecked on a guard to give up one more point. Wranå hit and rolled out to clean the house in three and Muirhead threw her last through the rings to blank and go back to the drawing board.

That didn’t work out either as Muirhead surrendered another steal in four. Muirhead misfired on double attempts in five and six as Wranå swiped singles in both ends for a commanding 5-0 lead.

“We went for it when we had to,” Wranå said. “When we were lying good we just guarded up and made sure they didn’t get a deuce.”

Muirhead made it onto the scoreboard in seven with an open hit for two and Wranå finally got hold of the hammer in eight. She faced three with her last but just had to make one disappear and hit and stuck.

Three more draws are on tap Friday.