The thing about triple-knockout cashspiels is that you have three chances to make the playoffs.
Team Galusha had three chances to crack the final eight at the Curlers Corner Autumn Gold Curling Classic in Calgary last weekend, but couldn’t turn the trick this time around.
Kerry Galusha and her rink of Margot Flemming, Jo-Ann Rizzo and Sarah Koltun missed out on the playoff round after three losses condemned the ladies to the outside looking in.
Galusha said the chances were there, but they weren’t able to capitalize.
“We got seven games in three days and a lot of games on the weekend,” she said. “It was a 32-team tournament, so we knew it was going to be a grind.”
All 32 teams started off in the A bracket with the winners staying there, while the losers dropped to the B bracket. A loss in the B bracket meant last-chance motel in the C bracket. Lose at that stage and you’re out.
Galusha and company kicked things off against Michelle Englot of Saskatchewan and emerged victorious, 6-3. That set up a meeting with South Korea’s Seungyoun Ha and it would be another winning effort, this time by a score of 9-6. Next up was Beth Peterson of Manitoba and the ladies would make it three wins on the spin with a 7-1 victory.
The ladies’ first loss came in their A bracket final versus Satsuki Fujisawa by a score of 8-1, which put them into the B bracket.
“We knew we had the extra lives,” said Galusha. “They’re one of the top teams in the world and you could see why.”
In the B bracket, Team Galusha took on Selena Sturmay of Alberta and were on the wrong end of an 8-2 decision, dropping them to the C bracket. They managed to right the ship against Morgan Muise of Alberta in a semifinal contest, 7-4, to set up the decider against Jessie Hunkin of Alberta.
Galusha started the final with the hammer and opened the scoring with a single in the second end after a blank in the first. Hunkin would get two in the third to go out in front, but Galusha got level in the fourth with a single to go into the mid-game break tied at 2-2.
Both teams would trade deuces in ends five through seven, which gave Hunkin a 6-4 lead coming home. Galusha had the hammer in the eighth and final end, which is the preferred position for any skip. But Hunkin would steal a single to make the final 7-4, seeing her through to the playoffs.
“We missed a few shots against Hunkin,” said Galusha. “We played really well and we had them on the ropes, but she was making some great shots.”
This was the fourth spiel of the season for the ladies and they’ve done it without any practice ice whatsoever. That will change as the Yellowknife Curling Centre will have the ice ready to go this weekend, meaning the ladies will be able to get some ice time before heading back out on the road for the North Grenville Women’s Fall Curling Classic in Kemptville, Ont., which begins on Oct. 26.
“Some teams down south have been on the ice since July and we’re always behind the eight-ball when we begin our season,” said Galusha. “We always find a way to compete against those other teams and we seem to do alright. We just need practice to be more consistent. It’s like golf in a way: if you aren’t consistent, it shows. We’ll get to work on what we need to and be ready for Kemptville.”