McCarville, Dahl drop Scotties openers

It wasn't the start either Thunder Bay skip was hoping for at the Ontario Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Kenora.

Krista McCarville gave up a steal of one in the second and two in the sixth, falling 7-4 at the hands of defending champion Rachel Homan, who went on to finish fourth at the national Scotties Tournament of Hearts last year.

Homan knocked off McCarville in the provincial final a year ago.

Marlo Dahl fared no better in her opening-draw match against Mississauga's Cathy Auld.

Dahl, whose team includes Rhonda Skillen, Oye Sem Won-Brian, Jessica Williams and fifth Karlee Jones, gave up three points to Auld in the sixth, blowing open a 2-2 game at the time, and Auld wen t on to an 8-3 triumph.

In other first-draw games it was former champ Sherry Middaugh easily handling North Bay's Laura Pickering 10-2, Kathy Brown knocked off Alison Nimik 7-4 and Ottawa's Jen Hanna beat Idylwylde's Tracy Horgan 7-5.

McCarvill, playing alongside Ashley Miharija, Sarah Lang and Liz Kingston, takes on Nimik and Hanna on Tuesday while Dahl squares off against Middaugh and Homan.