Kallos wins twice, McCarville snaps slide

A steal in the 10th end has Krista McCarville back on track at the Ontario Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Thornhill.

The defending champion rink from Thunder Bay lost its first two matches of the 2011 championship, but rebounded in Tuesday’s late draw to snag a 7-6 win over Susan McKnight, who represents the Uxbridge and District Curling Club.

McCarville (1-2) took a 1-0 lead in the opening end, then scored a three-ender in the fourth to go up 4-1, only to see McKnight roar back with a deuce in the fifth and a steal of one in the sixth to even the score 4-4.

McCarville regained the lead with one in the seventh, but McKnight potted a pair in the eighth to take her first lead of the night. The Fort William Curling Club foursome tied it in the ninth to set up the decisive 10th end.

The four-time champions fell 7-6 to Lisa Farnell of the Loonie Curling Club in the afternoon draw, after storming back from a 5-0 deficit to take a 6-5 lead after nine, stealing points in three straight ends, including two in the ninth.

It was a much better day for McCarville’s curling club mate Ashley Kallos.

Kallos (2-1) beat Kristy Russell 6-2 to start the day, then scored an 8-7 win over Thunder Bay’s Marlo Dahl (1-2), netting two in the 10th to erase a one-point advantage by her opponent, who plays out of the Port Arthur Curling Club.

Ottawa’s Rachel Horman and Idylwylde’s Tracy Horgan lead the 12-team pack with identical 3-0 records. Kallos and McKnight are one back at 2-1, while Dahl and McCarville are among five curlers at 1-2.

McCarville takes on Shelburne;s Christina Cadorin in Wednesday’s afternoon draw. Dahl plays former two-time champion Alison Goring, while Kallos will try her luck against McKnight.