Sometimes all it takes is a single shot to derail a curling match.
For the Confederation College women’s team, on Sunday that fateful stone came in the third end, when Carly Angers’ second shot picked badly in the OCAA Women’s Curling Championship semifinal game at Port Arthur Curling Club.
Prior to the shot the Thunderhawks were in good position to set up a possible double, after the two teams blanked the opening two ends.
The Fanshawe Falcons squad, skipped by Sarnia’s Shannon Kae, pounced and Confederation College skip Megan St. Amand flashed on both of her rocks, including a draw against three to salvage the end. Fanshawe never looked back, cruising to a 7-2 win that earned them a berth in Sunday afternoon’s final against the Seneca College Sting.
St. Amand, Anger, lead Katharine Roberts, second Amanda Donolovitch will have to settle for a shot at a bronze, which would still earn the team a trip to nationals.
“The pick was huge. We were set up really nice for two and that was our chance to get ahead in the game. We had the unfortunate pick, but it happens. That’s the game,” St. Amand said, admitting the unforced error did get into her head when it was her turn to shoot.
“A little bit. I think I was a little bit frustrated. But it is what it is.”
Angers agreed the pick was the turning point of the match.
“That changed the game totally,” she said.
While disappointed at the loss – the Thunderhawks finished the round-robin at 3-2 – Angers said they still count the season as a success.
“I think we had a pretty good Confederation College team this year. We had a really good chance. We still played really good, but that’s the game.”
It was a struggle most of the way for the Thunderhawks.
St. Amand, who won OCAA silver in 2013, needed every inch on her final shot in the fourth to prevent a Fanshawe steal and climb to within two, down 3-1.
After Kae hit and stuck for a single in the fifth, St. Amand faced a draw for one against four Falcons stones in the sixth.
She made the shot, but only scored one, trailing 4-2 with just two ends to go.
The Falcons ended it quickly, scoring three in the seventh after St. Amand missed a double takeout, firing a little too far to the inside to move the Fanshawe stones.
Confederation College will take on the Niagara Knights in the bronze-medal game, scheduled to start at noon.
The winner will go to nationals along with the first- and second-place finishers.
Fanshawe has a chance for a rare gold-medal sweep. The Falcons will take on Sault College in both the mixed and men's final.
