Christina Black, hailing from Nova Scotia, opted to extend her stay away from home for a bit longer despite her love for her homeland. In the recent qualifying games, Black and Selena Sturmay from Alberta emerged victorious, earning a spot in the 3/4 Page playoff of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Black triumphed over Taylour Stevens in an all-Nova Scotia matchup with a score of 11-6, while Sturmay defeated Manitoba’s Beth Peterson with a 10-4 win.
Expressing her desire to continue competing, Black mentioned, “We just want to play as many games as possible so just let us keep playing. I don’t want to go home (Saturday). Now I don’t have to.” The upcoming matchup will see Sturmay and Black competing against each other in the national women’s curling championship’s Page 3/4 playoff on Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, Canada’s Kerri Einarson and Manitoba’s Kaitlyn Lawes are set to face off in the Page 1/2 playoff later that evening.
Sturmay emphasized the importance of staying focused and grateful for the opportunity to represent Canada. She stated, “We’re definitely know that we’re in a position where we’ve got to just keep winning, but we’re grateful to be here. We’re grateful to have a chance to represent Canada. We’re just ready to leave it all out there.”
The winner of the Einarson-Lawes matchup will secure a direct spot in the tournament’s final, while the loser will face the winner of the Page 3/4 game between Sturmay and Black in Sunday’s semifinal. Black acknowledged the need for her team to maintain composure and patience against Sturmay’s strong lineup. She emphasized the importance of playing strategically and staying calm throughout the game.
In previous playoff matches, Einarson defeated Peterson 8-5, and Lawes secured an 8-6 victory over Black with a decisive final throw. Notably, Einarson and Rachel Homan have been prominent finalists at the Tournament of Hearts for the past nine years. Homan, the reigning national champion, is absent from this year’s event due to her participation in the Milan Cortina Olympics.
The games concluded with handshakes in the evening draw matchups. Black made a strong start with four points in the first end, maintaining the lead throughout the game. The victory marked a significant milestone as it was the first time two Nova Scotia teams reached the national championship’s playoff round.
Looking ahead to their upcoming playoff match, Einarson and Lawes expressed their anticipation for a mental reset before the Page 1/2 playoff. Both teams planned to relax and strategize for the next game, with Lawes mentioning the importance of regrouping and devising a plan for the upcoming challenge.