Joey Payeur
Kristen Streifel has three Canadian junior women’s curling championships to her credit, including the most recent one.
But two former Muskies didn’t get the memo–or at least acted like they couldn’t care less.
Skip Hailey Beaudry of Fort Frances and lead Erin Tomalty from Nestor Falls, along with Thunder Bay’s Kendra Lemieux at third, Emily Cooney at second, and fifth Sheree Hinz, were up to the task for the Lakehead University Thunderwolves in downing Streifel and her two-time defending champion University of Alberta Pandas 7-5 in the semi-finals of the 2017 U-Sports/Curling Canada University Championships in Thunder Bay.
Lakehead U. eventually fell 7-4 to the Krysta Burns rink, representing the Laurentian University Voyageurs (Sudbury), in the final to end up with the silver medal.
The Thunderwolves avenged the previous night’s 8-6 loss to the Pandas by bringing down the previously-unbeaten Streifel when it mattered most.
“Our team knew going into the first game against them that we were going to have to bring our ‘A’-game, keep our focus, and stay positive on the ice,” recalled Beaudry.
“The first game we lost because my last rock in the 10th end was a little bit light,” she noted.
“But I think that pushed us to want the win more in the semi-final game in the morning.
“We knew that the first game was our off-game, and I think we all knew that was not a very good representation of how we compete with this strong team,” added Tomalty, who replaced Beaudry as the Muskie girls’ skip after the latter graduated.
“In the second game against them, we were able to mentally prepare and know that this game was a very important [game].”
Beaudry opened up some breathing room with a deuce in the fifth end against Streifel to make it 5-2, with the teams exchanging singles the rest of the way.
But for Beaudry, the pivotal end came in the third when she stole a pair to make it 3-1.
“Their team was sitting four and for my second-last shot, I was hitting to roll under some cover,” Beaudry recalled.
“We ended up getting the Plan ‘B’ roll and took it across the house to freeze on one of their guarded back stones.
“To steal that end, it brought our spirits up that we could do this,” she added.
“We just had to maintain our focus.”
Tomalty had a noticeable swelling of pride inside her when the final stone was delivered that ended the Pandas’ title streak.
“The thing that I was the most happy about was our performance because all that we can control in the game is the way we play,” she remarked.
The final was a rematch of an 11-2, six-end blowout by Laurentian over Lakehead U. during round-robin play.
This time, the Thunderwolves brought the fight to the Voyageurs and had it tied 2-2 after the fifth before things went south in the sixth as Burns scored three to go up 5-2.
“If I can remember right, that end we had a couple flashes on hits, and we fell into playing their game and not focusing on our own game,” said Beaudry.
“It was a little late in the game to give up a three-ender.”
The Thunderwolves squeaked into the semi-finals based on a three-way tiebreaker for fourth place with the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds (Fredericton) and the St. Francis Xavier X-Women (Halifax).
All three rinks had 3-4 records in the round-robin and the trio had beat each other once.
That meant it came down to who had the lowest combined distance in their pre-game draws to the button throughout the week.
“It was definitely a stressful time waiting for an answer,” chuckled Tomalty, who got the answer she was hoping for as Lakehead U. prevailed.
While the last game didn’t turn out in their favour, the Muskie alumni still are basking in the glow of their accomplishments while already plotting the best route to take the final step up the mountain.
“We are really happy with the end of this curling season wrapping up the way it did,” said Beaudry.
“Getting silver is the highlight of this season, that’s for sure.
“Being able to represent Lakehead and step up onto that podium was such a great feeling,” she added.
“Really looking forward to next year and hope that our success just keeps going uphill from here.”
Tomalty agreed.
“I am extremely proud to play for my school with these ladies and win that silver medal,” she enthused.
“I am very determined to continue working with my coach, Dick Henderson, and my team to improve for next year,” Tomalty pledged.
“I am very excited to see what next season has in store for us.”
