Scotties 2011 Tiebreaker

And there is only one!

After their start it is impressive that BC is here and still alive. And it is not as if Nova Scotia has had an easy trip getting here.

Sasha Carter, I am sure, has insisted on being part of this match, despite her pregnancy.

END #1: Everybody seemed happy with keeping this end pretty open (I imagine they want their heart rates at a reasonable level even if we viewers like greater stress). On skip stones Scott makes a big miss on a rock Smith had put with BC backing and behind a BC corner guard. BC still lie two, it appears (but plan to measure!). Smith makes one for sure and the measure is underway. And indeed she gets two!
NS 2 - BC 0

END #2: I doubt Smith is instinctively so aggressive, but she chooses on her first second rock to put a guard up in front of her rocks in the house to join the Scott guards flainking it. BC gets a good runback but Nova Scotia still has two in the house and they come around into the house behind a BC rock. A BC runback attempt fails though it does open the center. NS put up a center guard. BC clear the guard and somehow miss hitting anything else. NS put another rock into the house behind cover (on the button). Sorry, had to to the door so missed a couple of shots.
OTOH after Smith's first shot things look much as before. Scott's first rock opens the center abit with little other obvious effect. Smith elects to fill the house with her own rocks and force a single on Scott. This seems to me to be very smart, and so it goes, except Scott wrecks on a guard and Smith steals one.
3-0 NS

END #3: My mind wandered (3-0 scores after two ends do that to me) and I have missed teh development of the wackiest end so far. Schraeder's second shot leaves a housse with the button crowded, two BC and two NS rocks, flanked in front by a BC rock and behind by a NS rock. Smith rather mischievously adds another NS rock to the mix at the button (this is Mark Dacey's wife, the ultimate hitter?).
Scott parks a rock on top of the NS rock on the button and we have an intervention from Mark Dacey. Smith returns the favor. Scott's final shot is a total whiff and Smith steals another one. It seems she does not really need the hammer.
4-0 NS

END #4: NS steal two more as Scott misses an open draw to the six-foot. One wonders why BC fought so hard to get to this game.

END #5: Nova Scotia try hard to give away points (they whiff a peel, and on another peel leave the shooter out front) but manage to give away only two.
6-2 NS

END #6: Apologies, as my mind wandered.
8-2 NS

My mind may go on vacation.

END #7: Not on vacation yet! Schraeder makes two great shots and NS follows with great responses and then Scott makes a beautiful corner freeze to a protected NS rock. Smith decides she does not mind giving up two but really does not want to yield three so tries to prevent that and guards to push Scott to draw for two. As she does.
8-4 NS

I must say I barely noticed this Nova Scotia rink early in the week but they have really impressed today. Of course the story coming in, losing their skip (Colleen Jones!) to illness, with Smith having to step up as skip, were part of why I was ready to dismiss them.

END #8: Scott leaves Smith a draw for two, and there is no way she is missing today. Well, in fact she does, going long, so NS take only one.
9-4 NS.

END #9: Some pretty big misses by NS have BC lying three as skip rocks start. Smith clears away two of the offenders! (And it not far off clearing them all.) Scott replaces the lost pair with one. Smith removes the one she missed last time. Scott can draw for two to an open house. And does.
9-6 NS

END #10: This should be a running out of rocks countdown but we will see.
BC's third and skip are shooting in the 60%'s and that is certainly no way to win. All of NS are in the 80s. NS show early they can do great picks on guards and move one over. And then BC leave guards that can be doubled, and NS instead jam so there are BC and NS rocks by the center line up front. Carter squeaks into the house by a guard beautifully but it goes a bit deep. NS's next peel is a bit better, removing one guard and pushing the other well off center. BC goes in beside the remaining relevant guard. NS plan to peel it and do, losing the shooter too (as intended). Schraeder puts a rock in the house on the other side. NS starts the countdown but get only one. First BC skip rock comes into the house in the center front twelve-foot. Smith removes it. Last rocks now. Smith will need only an open hit to win. Scott puts another target on the button. OK this has to be a bit of butterflies for Smith - a really easy shot to win! She makes it!

It is a sweet story for this unlikely rink, and a sad one for BC, who fought back so hard from a rotten start here. But that is sports. My wife can barely watch most sporting events because she hates to see people lose.