CALGARY — Kerri Einarson summed it up perfectly, minutes after her final effort to keep Canada alive at the Scotties — with what would’ve been one hell of a shot — sailed right through the house.
“It sucks, but I guess it has to come to an end at some point,” the skip said.
On Friday night at Winsport Arena, the four-time defending Scotties champions — Einarson, third Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard and alternate-turned lead Krysten Karwacki — lost 9-4 to Kate Cameron and Team Manitoba in the 3 v 4 qualifiers, putting an end to their bid for a record five straight national championships.
“It is what it is,” a straight-faced Einarson said, when it was over. “We battled hard through all the adversity we had this week, and I’m super proud of this team.”
Team Canada did battle, and to lengths only a small circle knows. They faced the type of adversity they couldn’t talk about, when hours before their first game Curling Canada announced it had been “made aware” that long-time lead Briane Harris was “ineligible” for reasons nobody has yet to reveal.
“It’s definitely tough, losing a player a day before an event,” Einarson said. “So we did our very best and Krysten stepped in and she did absolutely amazing, getting first team all-star. Just a great addition to this team, so I couldn’t be any more proud of her.”
Certainly Karwacki stepped in and performed lights out. “It feels really good, to have left it all out there and to have played well all week,” Karwacki said. “That’s what I wanted to do at the beginning of all this, is just to step in and help the girls win as many games as possible.
“We battled really hard tonight. We just had a few misses at the wrong time.”
Einarson and co. were in good shape early on this Friday night, leading 4-2 through five ends. But the second half, things fell apart. They gave up a single, then Cameron stole four straight points through the next three ends.
“I just got super unlucky on my first in six to stuff it there,” Einarson said. “So it’s just kind of been the story of the week.”
“I’m gutted for them,” said Team Canada coach, Reid Carruthers. “But I’m incredibly proud of the work they put in. All week, it was incredible. And now it’s time to heal. We’re going to take some time to digest what’s happened this week. It’s been a battle.”
Einarson went out swinging in this battle. In the 10th, Canada needed three to tie things up to force an extra end. Her second last shot, she fired a rocket that gave them a chance.
After that final Team Canada stone sailed through the house, coming up short on the takeout they needed, fans rose to their feet and clapped for the team that has represented this country the last four years.
There’ll be a new Canadian champion crowed on Sunday.
Einarson figured once they got back to their hotel, Harris would have some things to say. The team’s long-time lead has been in Calgary the whole week.
“She’ll give us some tips of what we did wrong and whatnot,” the skip said. “But, definitely miss her.”