Joshua Bryden’s University of Regina team had a one-win, one-loss day at the FISU World University Winter Games curling competition on Saturday, but they are still in playoff contention.
Bryden’s foursome opened Saturday’s two-draw day with a cautious game against Korea. The Koreans would handily earn the last rock advantage after Bryden’s last rock draw to the button missed the mark by more than two metres.
The Koreans patiently looked for an opening to score multiple points with their last rock advantage, but thanks to some key shots by Bryden, Korea had to settle for a single point after a pair of blank ends. In the fourth end, Bryden went on the offensive and was awarded for some aggressive calls, scoring three for a 3-1 lead heading into the mid-game break.
That outburst set up the game for the Canadians. They forced Korea to take on in the sixth before Bryden scored another two with the hammer in the sixth for a 5-2 lead. Bryden then ran the Koreans out of rocks for a 5-2 victory.
In the late game, Bryden’s team faced the Americans, who also had one loss entering the draw. The U-S opened the scoring, putting up two on the board in the first end.
After a blank in the second end, Bryden was forced to a single point with the last rock. In the fourth end, the Americans blew the game wide open, scoring three for a 5-1 lead heading into the break.
Bryden would try to force the play in the fifth end but we be forced to take a single point with hammer. The teams exchanged deuces in the sixth and seventh end before the Americans would run Bryden and company out of rocks for a 7-4 win.
Bryden’s round-robin record is now 4-2, and it is tied with the host Italians for third in the standings. Canada will play Norway (6-0) and Ukraine (2-4) on Sunday.
