Tigers sweep 2016 Subway AUS Curling Championship titles

(ST. ANDREW’S, N.S.) – The 2016 Subway AUS Curling Championships wrapped up Sunday with the Dalhousie Tigers men’s and women’s teams taking home both banners at the Highlander Curling Club in St. Andrew’s, N.S.

In the women’s final, the Tigers faced the UNB Varsity Reds who had defeated the Mount Allison Mounties 8-1 in semifinal play earlier in the day to advance to the final. The Tigers, undefeated in pool play, defeated Acadia 5-1 in the second women’s semifinal.

Dalhousie, skipped by Kristin Clarke jumped out to an early lead and held a 4-2 advantage at the fifth end break. The teams exchanged points in the sixth and seventh ends before the Tigers took a commanding lead with a steal of two in the eighth to go up by a score of 7-3.

Clarke and the Tigers managed to grab two more points with a steal in the ninth end to post a 9-3 win and claim the 2016 Subway AUS women’s curling title.

In the men’s final, Dalhousie skip Matthew Manuel faced the Saint Mary’s team skipped by Adam Cocks.

The Tigers finished the round robin schedule with a perfect 5-0 record to advance directly to the final, while the Huskies won their way into the championship game by virtue of a 7-5 win over the Memorial Sea-Hawks in Sunday’s semifinal.

In the final, the Tigers led 1-0 after the fifth end after the two teams blanked the opening four ends.

After another blanked end in the sixth, Dalhousie would steal singles in the seventh and eighth ends to go up 3-0.

In the ninth end, the Tigers stole a deuce to make it 5-0 and the teams shook hands, giving Dalhousie both titles.

All four finalists will receive a berth in the 2016 CIS / CCA Curling Championships hosted by the Kelowna Curling Club, March 20-23.