SCOTLAND BAG WORLD JUNIORS SPOT WITH SUPERB SILVER AT #WJBCC2022
Congratulations to Fay Henderson, Robyn Munro, Holly Wilkie-Milne, Laura Watt, and Amy Mitchell who took silver at the World Junior-B Championship and qualified Scotland for the World Junior Women’s next February/March. The Scots played a superb tournament in Lohja, Finland and went undefeated throughout until an intense final against Canada.
Image: WCF/Hellen Koskinen
Scotland started their campaign with a comprehensive win over Ukraine before a number of multiple ends earned them the edge over New Zealand. They flew past debutants Mongolia to bag their third consecutive victory and bring themselves in a great position ahead of their toughest challenge on paper. Indeed, the encounter against Hungary was the tightest yet, but Scotland had the better form in the late stages of the game and secured both another win and a spot in the play-offs. They concluded the group stage with a well-worked triumph over Austria.
Into the play-offs, and the first opponents were Czech Republic in the quarter-finals. The Czechs did not make it an easy game, but Scotland stayed composed to take the win and march on to the semi-finals. Up against Turkiye, the Scots showed a dominant performance that earned them a seventh victory and a place in the gold medal game, meaning they were now secured a spot at the upcoming World Juniors. Fittingly, the final against Canada turned out to be Scotland’s tightest game of the tournament. They fought back after a mediocre start and kept the encounter open until the very end, Canada snatching gold by only a single point.
Relive Scotland’s #WJBCC2022 game by game. 
SUPERB SILVER FOR SCOTLAND AFTER TIGHT FINALS DEFEAT TO CANADA (CAN 5-4 SCO)
Scotland bring the silver medal home following a narrow defeat to Canada in the final encounter of the tournament. Emily Deschenes’s side had the brighter start, but the Scots fought back and kept the match open until the end.
Canada opened the game with a single score and a deuce steal to take an early lead. Scotland could only respond with a single, meaning they trailed by two points at the break.
Back on the ice, Scotland were first to strike with a single steal. However, the Canadians retaliated straight away, reinstating and even stretching out the advantage with a deuce in End 6. Scotland were now under zugzwang and one point from the seventh end did little to make their job easier. The Scots fought a brave battle, but a single steal in the final end was not enough to stop Canada from claiming gold.
(Images: WCF/Hellen Koskinen)
SEMI-FINAL WIN OVER TURKIYE GUARANTEES SCOTS WORLD JUNIORS SPOT (SCO 7-2 TUR)
Scotland booked a ticket to the World Juniors next February/March with a semi-final win over Turkiye that guarantees them a medal. The Scots dominated from End 4 onwards and left Ilknur Urusan’s side without a chance.
Turkiye made the best of a marginally better LSD and blanked the first end before scoring in the second. A single point didn’t give the Turks much breathing space, but Scotland could only respond with one themselves and level the scores. However, the game swung in Scottish favour from End 4 onwards. A single steal gave the Scots the lead at the break and they would stretch further away at the restart.
Opening the second half with a two-points steal, Scotland now had a gap to work with. They got the force in End 6 and swiftly dealt a decisive blow with three points from End 7. Turkiye needed at least five points in the final regular end and since those were far from on the cards, handshakes were exchanged early.
(Images: WCF/Hellen Koskinen)
QUARTER-FINAL WIN OVER CZECH REPUBLIC HAS SCOTLAND MARCHING ON (SCO 7-5 CZE)
It’s on to the semi-finals for Team Scotland who bagged a well-managed win over Czech Republic in their first play-off game. Kristyna Farkova’s side didn’t make it easy for the Scots, but a strong start to the second half proved the difference.
Although Scotland opened the scoring with a single in End 1, Czech Republic soon took the advantage. After a blank second end, a deuce in End 3 had the Czechs in front and Scotland under zugzwang. In response, the Scots copied the feat and scored two, meaning they led by a single point at the break.
End 5 would turn out to be decisive as Scotland grabbed the momentum with a three-points steal. Czech Republic could only respond with a single that did little to cut the gap which was swiftly reinstated by the Scots with a single of their own. Czech Republic kept fighting and got a solid deuce on the board in the final end, but it wasn’t enough to stop Scotland from progressing to the semi-finals.
(Images: WCF/Hellen Koskinen)
SCOTLAND END ROUND ROBIN WITH WIN OVER AUSTRIA AND A CLEAN RECORD (SCO 7-4 AUT)
Scotland concluded the group stage with a win over Austria and a clean five in 0 record. Nothing could separate the sides after seven ends, but the Scots secured a multiscore that bagged victory over Astrid Pfluegler’s line-up.
It took until End 2 for points to go on the board as Scotland took the lead with a two-points steal. Austria fought back and equalised with a deuce themselves, but a single in End 4 meant the Scots held the advantage at the break.
Back on the ice, the Scottish momentum looked to continue with a single steal. However, the Austrians stayed composed and responded with a deuce. It was all square again with two ends to go. Scotland opted for a tactical blank to maintain hammer in the crucial end. The strategy paid off when three points went on the Scots’ counter and secured them the win.
(Images: WCF/Hellen Koskinen)
TOUGHEST CHALLENGE YET, BUT SCOTS BAG PLAY-OFF SPOT WITH WIN OVER HUNGARY (SCO 5-3 HUN)
Linda Joo’s Hungary team pushed Scotland to their toughest challenge yet, but eventually, another win and a ticket to the play-offs were added to the Scottish record. The game was open throughout, but the Scots had the edge in the final stages.
Scotland were first on the board with a single steal, but Hungary bounced back to equalise straight away. The Hungarians went on to steal one themselves and this time it was Scotland’s turn to level the again, meaning the teams went into the break on two points each.
Hungary scored first at the restart with a single, but Scotland took two and the lead in End 6. The momentum swung towards the Scots who extended their advantage with a one-point steal. Hungary needed three to win, two for an extra end, but Scotland controlled End 8 well and the final stones needn’t played to decide the encounter.
SCOTS FLY PAST MONGOLIA TO KEEP WINNING RUN GOING (SCO 11-1 MNG)
Image: WCF/Hellen Koskinen
A dominant display against Mongolia took Scotland to their third win in as many games and has their sights firmly set on a play-off spot. Enkhzaya Ganbat’s side didn’t get on the board until End 6 as the Scots cruised towards victory.
Three points from the first end got Scotland off to a perfect start and their lead stretched further with numerous steals. One, two, and one went to the Scots against hammer to make it an eight-points advantage at the break. Another point went to the Scottish tally at the restart before Mongolia finally got on the board with a point themselves. However, the game was decided in End 7 when three points for Scotland put their opponents out of contention.
MULTIPLE ENDS EDGE OUT NEW ZEALAND FOR SECOND SCOTTISH WIN (SCO 6-3 NZL)
Scotland made it two from two with a composed performance against New Zealand. Although Grace Apuwai-Bishop’s side reliably took points with hammer, the Scots outscored their singles with multiple ends.
New Zealand had the brighter start to the game and were first on the board with a single steal. Scotland responded with a deuce, but it was all square again when the Kiwis added another point to their tally. The game was effectively decided in End 4 when Scotland scored four to take a big lead at the break.
Back on the ice, New Zealand cut the gap with a single. It would be the last point scored in the game as Scotland blanked the next two ends. With only one end remaining and three points nowhere to be seen for the Kiwis, they decided to shake hands early.
SCOTLAND OPEN CAMPAIGN WITH COMPREHENSIVE WIN OVER UKRAINE (SCO 11-3 UKR)
A well-worked win over Ukraine got Scotland off to a perfect start in Finland. The Scots gradually stretched out an advantage and killed the game with a big multiscore in End 6 that left Polina Putintseva’s side without a chance.
Image: WCF/Jiri Snitil
Although Ukraine started the encounter with hammer and a deuce, Scotland swiftly took a comprehensive lead. Scoring three in the second and stealing two in the third end, the Scots gradually edged away from their opposition. Ukraine could only respond with a single that left the board on 3-5 at the break.
At the restart, Scotland sought to maintain hammer for the even ends and pulled a tactical blank. They went on to put the game to bed only one end later. A massive six points had the game all but out of reach for the Ukrainians who subsequently conceded.
TEAM SCOTLAND AT #WJBCC2022
Fay Henderson (skip), Robyn Munro (third), Holly Wilkie-Milne (second), Laura Watt (lead), and Amy Mitchell (alternate) will represent Scotland at the World Junior-B Curling Championships in Lohja, Finland. The team are fighting for a spot at the World Juniors next February/March.
