KINDERSLEY -- If things continue to go as well for Jolene Campbell as they have through the first three days of competition at the Viterra Prairie Pinnacle women’s provincial curling championship, there just might be a green jacket in her rink’s future.
Campbell and her Regina Highland foursome of third Rachel Erickson, second Abby Ackland and lead Dayna Demmans remained unbeaten and improved to 5-0 through six round robin draws with a pair of victories Thursday, defeating Saskatoon’s Ashley Thevenot 7-5 in the afternoon draw before downing Moose Jaw’s Penny Barker 11-5 in the nightcap.
The contest with Barker, third Lindsay Bertsch, second Taryn Schachtel and lead Danielle Sicinski was the marquee match-up of the day in the women’s draw, with both teams heading into the battle with 4-0 records.
After exchanging three-enders to open the match, Campbell would take control with points in three straight ends -- two in the third and steals of one in the fourth and fifth -- to build a 7-3 lead. Barker got back within striking distance with a pair in the sixth, but one in the seventh, another single in the eighth and two more in the ninth for Campbell would bring things to an early end.
The afternoon draw saw Campbell score single points in the first four ends before Thevenot came back to tie things up in the seventh, with Campbell pulling away in the final three ends for the win.
Barker set up the first-place showdown with a 7-5 win over Saskatoon’s Amber Holland earlier in the day, stealing one in the seventh and two more in the eighth to build a three-point edge heading into the final two ends.
Nancy Martin and her Saskatoon Nutana rink of third Chaelynn Kitz, second Kadriana Lott and lead Deanna Doig are also 4-1 after taking an 8-6 win over Thevenot in their lone game Thursday.
Other results from the afternoon draw saw Balgonie’s Mandy Selzer take a 7-5 win over Regina’s Brooklyn Stevenson and Regina’s Michelle Englot score one in the 10th to take a 6-5 win over Saskatoon’s Jessica McCartney.
The evening sessions saw Englot defeat Holland 9-6 and McCartney steal in the 10th and 11th to take an 8-7 win over Stevenson.
Standings after six rounds of competition are as follows:
Jolene Campbell 5-0
Nancy Martin 4-1
Penny Barker 4-1
Michelle Englot 3-3
Mandy Selzer 3-2
Ashley Thevenot 2-3
Jessica McCartney 2-4
Amber Holland 1-5
Brooklyn Stevenson 0-5
Round robin action continues Friday at 12 p.m. with Campbell taking on Martin, Thevenot vs. McCartney, Holland vs. Stevenson and Barker vs. Seltzer.
The 8 p.m. draw could settle the first playoff positions and will see Barker vs. Stevenson, Martin vs. Holland, Seltzer vs. Campbell and Englot vs. Thevenot.
Be sure to keep an eye on www.saskcurl.ca for regular updates.
