THE SCOTTISH CURLING CHAMPIONSHIPS, 2018 – WOMEN’S FINAL MATCH REPORT
The Scottish Curling Women’s Championship Final of 2018 saw the two teams that dominated the round robin deservedly meet in the final.
Team Jackson: Sophie Jackson, Naomi Brown, Mili Smith, Sophie Sinclair and Coach Cate Brewster
Team Fleming: Hannah Fleming, Jennifer Dodds, Alice Spence, Vicky Wright and Coach Nancy Smith
Bouncing back brilliantly from what must have been a disappointing loss of their Scottish Curling Junior Championship title in Aberdeen last month, Team Jackson gave a strong performance and topped the round robin (6W -2L). They faced off against Team Fleming who are continuing their development under the guidance of coach Nancy Smith and were hoping to go one spot better than in so many previous finals.
In the playoffs Fleming had won the page 1v2 game (9-7) with Jackson returning to the final after her subsequent semi-final defeat of Team Hamilton.
First End:
A very aggressive first end approach from Team Fleming (with last stone advantage) ignoring the first stone top 12 biter backfired after a great freeze by Mili Smith (Team Jackson), and a jammed clear. Jennifer (Team Fleming) wrecked on tap back and Hannah facing 3 was heavy with her draw; Team Jackson stole 2 (0-2)
Second End:
Facing 2, Hannah made a crucial, nose hit, to reduce the deficit to a 1 (1-2).
Third End:
At the third Team Jackson’s defensive draw to the wing with their first stone allowed Hannah (Team Fleming) to make and protect an early draw to the button to steal 1 (2-2).
Fourth End:
The fourth was a mirror image of the third end with Vicky Wright’s early draw to the button protected for the rest of the end for a steal of 1. (2-3)
Fifth End:
Team Jackson pulled ahead by drawing for 2 after Hannah (Team Fleming) missed a short runback chance to lie 3. (4-3)
Sixth End:
When Team Fleming lay 2 widely apart, it looked like their two was sealed. After two good freezes by skip Sophie Jackson, Hannah (Team Fleming) was forced to draw for one which she made perfectly. (4-4)
Seventh End:
Seventh was blanked.
Eight End:
Hannah’s double centres at 8, rightly pressing and trying to engineer a steal looked a good tactical call but Hannah baled out later and only a good saving draw from her limited Sophie to 1 (4-5)
Ninth End:
Jen Dodds front to back double to lie 2, set up a scoring chance for Team Fleming but Jennifer’s following heavy draw into the back ring saw the chance fade until Hannah made a nose hit and then a back ring double take-out to secure 2 and the lead going down the last. (6-5)
Tenth End:
A perfect set up by Team Fleming, heaped the pressure on the Jackson team. When Naomi (Team Jackson) jammed a slash double, things looked tough for Jackson to even score 1. Naomi’s slash double on the guards opened both sides and when Hannah (Team Fleming) was wide with her two draws Sophie hit and rolled in with her first. A chance to score 2 but Team Jackson only managed to take the one meaning an extra end was needed to decide the winner (6-6)
Extra End:
Team Fleming kept play really open with only a single corner which Sophie Jackson played a draw around. A raise by Team Fleming moved the shot into the 8 foot and when Team Jackson’s shot was deep in the back ring Hannah had the 8 foot for the championship which she made with 3 inches to spare. Team Fleming are our 2018 Scottish Curling Women’s Champions and will now face Olympians Team Muirhead at the Scottish Curling World Championship Playoff at Perth from 3rd-4th March.
Tickets for the World Playoff at Dewars Centre, Perth from 3rd to 4th March are available to buy here
