Calvert keeps playoff hopes alive

RIVERS — Alyssa Calvert and her team have a simple goal this week: Curl as much as possible.

But to do that, they know they have to win early and often at the RME Women of the Rings.

A loss on Thursday morning would have likely meant today was just for fun. But it’s safe to say her Carberry-based team had plenty of fun, playing a textbook game from start to finish at the Riverdale Community Centre.

Calvert defeated last year’s Cinderella team, Hailey McFarlane, 8-4 to keep their shot at Saturday’s playoffs alive.

“It was a really solid game. Our first game, there were a lot of shots, but we didn’t get the rocks where we needed them to be,” Calvert said of her opening 8-3 loss to Beth Peterson on Wednesday.

“This game, we had draw weight, which is basically key out here, and everyone was super consistent all game.”

Calvert’s team, including Stacey Irwin, Pam Robins and Roz Taylor, has been a regular presence at the women’s provincial curling championship, and their “fan base” is growing.

They have six children across the foursome in the stands this week.

“To have our kids here, hear them in the stands, them being excited, it’s so fun,” Calvert said. “We love to come here and have a ton of fun, so as long as we’re having fun, we’re usually happy.

“It’s a privilege to get to come and be curlers for the week and we just hope we fit in.”

So far, they’re in the mix.

In the late draw, Calvert’s former junior teammate and defending Women of the Rings champion Kate Cameron made an angle-raise takeout to win 8-6 in an extra end, improving to 3-0 while dropping Calvert to 1-2.

Calvert faces Dauphin’s Lane Prokopowich today at 12:15 p.m., then Darcy Robertson at 7:45 p.m., to round out Group B play.

The top three of six teams in each of the two groups make the weekend, and with two powerhouses in Group B, Calvert had to take care of business.

She said that if she makes the playoffs, the game plan has to stay the same.

“We play the same way. So many of us have played with each other forever, different combinations of different people at these provincials. You have to make more shots than the other team to win a game,” Calvert said. “At the end of the day, if you can make the shots easier, that helps your percentage.

“Keeping our game simple … is something we try really hard to do.”

Calvert stole points in the first two ends, then forced McFarlane to hit the button for one in the third.

Calvert answered with a perfect draw for two in the fourth, then tucked another in with her last rock in the fifth to set up another steal, taking a 5-1 lead into the break.

McFarlane was in a perfect position to grab two back in the sixth, splitting the house, but Calvert played a nice hit and roll behind cover, forcing McFarlane to spin out. Then she left her rock hanging around on a blank attempt, giving Calvert the hammer back up 5-2.

Calvert settled for one in the seventh, then stole another to put it out of reach, despite McFarlane’s best efforts to fight to the finish, finally scoring a deuce in the ninth.

Calvert’s last shot was a perfect corner freeze to leave McFarlane with no possible way to steal three.

Meanwhile, Prokopowich hung around early against No. 3 seed Peterson but fell 9-1.

She forced the 12th-ranked team in Canada to a single in the second end, then gave up a steal of one.

Prokopowich did well to set up a draw for two in the fourth, but didn’t give it enough ice and crashed into a guard to settle for one.

The following end, Peterson put her into a world of trouble, sitting four. Prokopowich made a nice double-takeout but still gave up an easy three to trail 5-1 at the break.

Peterson slammed the door shut from there, not allowing anything easy.

In the other Group B game, Cameron played a nearly flawless game against veteran Robertson, winning 12-0.

While she was forced to take one in the first end, she never took the hammer back, stealing one, then two, then four in both the fourth and fifth ends.

Cameron poured the pressure on with one loaded house after the next, leaving Robertson little room for error and leaving her no choice but to shake hands before the fifth-end break.

In the late draw, Peterson defeated McFarlane 8-4 and Robertson lost to Prokopowich 8-3.

Pool play concludes tonight, with the playoffs starting on Saturday.

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com