February 24, 2015

"Golden" Hawks: Laurier men and women win OUA Curling Championships

The Laurier curling powerhouse is back atop the OUA, as the Golden Hawks swept the conference titles at the Guelph Curling Club on the fifth and final day of competition.

Both teams outlasted their competition en route to closely-contested wins, and will now move forward to the CIS/CCAA Curling Championships which they will host in Waterloo from March 18-21.

The Golden Hawk men advanced to the final with an 8-4 win over the Brock Badgers in the morning's semifinal round, rebounding from a 2-0 deficit after the second end. They met the Western Mustangs in the title game, after Western defeated Toronto 7-5 by scoring two in the bonus ninth end. Taking the lead with two points in the fifth end, Laurier added another in the sixth and won the game 4-3 when Western managed to score just one in the seventh.

On the women's side, Laurier fought back from a 4-1 deficit through four ends of their semifinal against the Carleton Ravens, scoring one in each of the next four ends to seal a 5-4 victory and set up a title game against the Brock Badgers, who beat Guelph 4-2. A three-point third end proved crucial as Laurier built a 5-2 lead through six, and they would win the game an end later when Brock managed just a single point.

With two OUA berths in the national tournament up for grabs, and Laurier claiming top spot while already enjoying the host berth, Monday's bronze-medal matches took on added importance.

There, the Guelph women sprung a last-ditch comeback to steal bronze — and a place in Waterloo — from the Carleton Ravens. Carleton had held a 7-5 lead after the seventh end, but Guelph knotted the game with two in the eighth and followed with another two in the bonus ninth to seal the win.

Things were not nearly as touch-and-go on the men's side, where the Toronto Varsity Blues jumped ahead of the Brock Badgers early and never looked back. Toronto built a 4-0 lead through the third end, and only grew in confidence from there, easily dispatching Brock 9-3 to book their place at the national tournament.

OUA Curling All-Stars

Men – First Team

Skip: Kris Leupen – Lakehead

Vice: Richard Krell – Laurier

Second: Spencer Nuttall – Laurier

Lead: Jamie Waters – Brock

Men - Second Team

Skip: Brett Dekoning – Western

Vice: Jonah Mondloch – Brock

Second: Carson Walsh – Guelph

Lead: Pedro Malvar – Toronto

Coach: Bill Charlebois – Lakehead