NIPIGON – Krista McCarville and Tracy Fleury appear destined to decide this week’s Northern Ontario Scotties provincial women’s championship.
McCarville, winner of four Ontario and one Northern Ontario crowns, and Fleury, the 2015 inaugural Northern Ontario champion, easily won their openers on Wednesday to kick off the 2017 event in Nipigon.
Thunder Bay’s McCarville scored three in the first with the hammer, three more in the third and then stole three in the fourth to down Thunder Bay’s Larissa Mikkelson 9-2, the two teams shaking hands after just five ends.
Sudbury’s Fleury got off to a slow start, giving up a steal of one in the first and two more in the second to Thunder Bay’s Hailey Beaudry.
Fleury tailed 5-2 after four ends, but rallied with four in the fifth and then stole five in the seventh to cruise to a 14-5 win.
The top two teams in the double round-robin advance to Saturday’s final. The winner of the title match earns spot at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, where McCarville finished in the runner-up spot last year.
McCarville takes on Beaudry on Thursday afternoon, with a showdown against Fleury looming large in the evening draw.
