Laurier curlers take national title

WELLAND, Ont. — After a gold medal in Japan and another Ontario University Athletics’ (OUA) championship title, it was as if the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) gold medal was calling for the Laurier Golden Hawks.

The WLU women’s curling team took control of the CIS gold medal game after a steal of four in the fifth end against the host Brock Badgers to claim the victory and the championship banner — the team’s second in a row — 9-2 in eight ends.

“It feels amazing, just coming here and defending our national championship,” said Laurier’s Sarah Wilkes after the victory. “It was a little nerve-wracking, but we knew if we played well we could do it and it feels great.”

The championship team, which consists of Wilkes, Laura Crocker, Jen Gates, Pamela Feldkamp and Cheryl Kreviazuk, will now represent Canada in the world university games hosted by the International University Sports Federation (FISU) in Trentino, Italy in March 2013.

Laurier opened up the gold medal game with a deuce on a draw to the button. The Hawks then held Brock to one in the second, and after a measurement, scored a single in the third end.

In the fourth, Crocker made a stellar double to sit three and Brock’s final shot to the button came up just short. Brock would give up a steal of one before a steal of four, leading 8-1 after five.

After an exchange of singles through the sixth and eighth ends, and a blank in the seventh, Brock shook hands, giving Laurier their fourth CIS title in five years.

“I’m so proud of my team for everything we’ve done this year and so thankful to go to Laurier and to curl at Laurier because it just shows how much support really makes a difference,” Crocker said.

“We get more support than any school in the country. Every school here says they can’t believe how much we get and it really shows it on the ice and how well we do.”

Laurier’s top curlers have created something of a dynasty, competing at the top possible contests and coming out evidently on top.

So, what do they think of being a dynasty? Wilkes laughed when she answered.

“I like it!”

For more on this story, see Wednesday’s edition of The Cord.