Voyageurs curling inches away from playoffs

Date and Time :    17 February, 2013 — 12:00 pm

Game Recap:

GUELPH, ON – The Laurentian curling teams were in Guelph this past weekend to compete in the OUA Championships.  The women’s team got off to a rough start which saw them end up with a record of 2-4 while the men had a solid championship all weekend long, finishing 3-2 and just out of the playoffs.

The women’s team, skipped by local girl, Kendra Lilly, opened the Championship with a 12-4 defeat to Carleton.  They followed that up with day 2 loses to Queen’s (8-3) and UOIT (5-3) before finally getting on track on the third day of competition.  To start the third day, the Laurentian rink dropped a tough 7-6 decision to Laurier before an 11-4 win over Lakehead in just six ends.  On the final day of the round robin, the women put it all together to beat previously undefeated Guelph 8-1 in six ends.  It was too little too late, however, as the team finished in 6^th with their 2-4 record.

The men’s side, skipped by another local player in Dustin Montpellier, got off to a better start as they disposed of Lakehead 8-4 in seven ends.  They hit a road bump later on day one as they suffered a 9-4 setback at the hands of the Queen’s Gaels.  Day two saw the men get back to their winning ways as they won their only draw of the day, 6-3 over Western.  With everything on the line on their last day of round robin play, the team scored 3 in the final end to beat the Guelph Gryphons 7-4.  This win, coupled with a Carleton loss made for a ‘win and you’re in’ scenario later that afternoon.

As the Voyageurs’ Championship future hung in the balance, they went toe to toe with Carleton, stealing 1 in the sixth and 2 in the seventh before giving up 1 in the eighth to force extra ends.  With the hammer in the extra end, Montpellier’s last rock was heavy by mere inches as the Ravens stole the point and the game and booked their ticket to the semi-finals.

The OUA Championship was the last University competition for the teams this season.