For the second year in a row, the Wilfrid Laurier University women’s curling team captured the bronze medal at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport nationals. The rink, consisting of second-year lead Chelsea Brandwood, third-year second Evangeline Fortier, third-year vice Kerilynn Mathers and third-year skip Carly Howard, captured the bronze medal after beating the University of Prince Edward Island 8-3 in nine ends.
“It feels amazing,” Mathers said, after winning the bronze medal. “Obviously we wanted to leave with gold, but to leave with bronze is great, and it’s a huge accomplishment coming out of CIS with a medal. We’re really proud of ourselves.”
After losing to Alberta in the semifinal draw, the Hawks would play the bronze medal game against PEI. The draw remained tight with both rinks trading singles throughout the first half of the game. It wasn’t until the seventh end when the PEI skip was heavy on her draw, which gave Howard a chance to draw for three. The Hawks would come away with a double in to take a 4-2 lead. Laurier would follow up with a huge four-point end, to take a commanding 8-2 lead. PEI picked up a single in the ninth, which sealed the victory for the Hawks.
Capturing the bronze medal at the CIS level marked the end of a great season for the women’s curling team, who captured OUA gold this past February. The rink also captured OUA gold four times in the last five years.
Howard and Mathers are the only two players not returning to the squad, while Brandwood and Fortier still have two more years of eligibility left.
