Its something that we have to do."
Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 8:40 am
MONTREAL -- Rachel Homan started defence of her Scotties Tournament of Hearts title in style. . Homan and her Team Canada (1-0) rink from Ottawa scored four in the eighth end for an 8-3 victory over Manitobas Chelsea Carey (0-1) on Saturday night at the Maurice Richard Arena. "The team played really well in front of me," said Homan, the winner last year in Kingston, Ont. "It was a tough battle. It was 4-3 and then one big end kind of ended it. My team just really had it today." It was a nervy but successful start for Val Sweetings Alberta rink. The Sweeting team (2-0) with lead Rachel Pidherny, second Dana Ferguson and third Joanne Courtney scored three points in the ninth end for a comeback 7-5 victory over 20-year-old newcomer Sarah Koltun (0-1) of the Yukon and Northwest Territories in the opening draw. In the evening, Sweeting took the early lead, wasted it, and then scored two in an extra end for an 8-6 win over 22-year-old Kesa van Osch of British Columbia (1-1). Heather Strong (2-0) of Newfoundland used the shot of the day to edge the home team, Quebecs Allison Ross (0-2), 5-4 with a raised angle takeout on the final shot. Stefanie Lawton (1-0) of Saskatchewan downed Allison Flaxeys Ontario rink (0-1) 8-6. Koltun looked ready for an upset when she stole a point for a 4-1 lead in the fifth end to throw a scare into 26-year-old Sweeting, a youngster herself in only her second Scotties. "They were outplaying us for sure," said Sweeting. "We set up some good ends and she made some good draws to save them, but we stayed patient and had an opportunity in the ninth and took advantage. "Im happy to get out of that one with a win, but we definitely have to sharpen up. We knew we couldnt take them lightly. Its their first time here and they have nothing to lose." A miss by Koltun with her first stone in the ninth set up the decisive steal by Alberta. Sweetings rink kept the house clear in the 10th and left no chance for the Whitehorse skip to force an extra end. Koltun is the youngest skip ever to play in the Scotties and is the first to skip at the Canadian junior and Scotties championships in the same year. She went 5-4 at the juniors two weeks ago in Liverpool, N.S. with two of her three teammates at the Scotties. She skipped a record seven times at national junior championships and is considered among the rising talents in the sport. But she may have let one get away in her debut. "We were in control at the beginning and it was just that one bad end, but its our first game at our first Scotties so well take what we can from it," said Koltun. "We are happy to be here, but we want to contend and be competitive and I think we showed that in this first game by putting up a really strong fight." Quebecs Allison Ross had a disappointing start as she failed to score until she picked up one point in the eighth end. After scoring, Ross conceded a 6-1 victory to New Brunswicks Andrea Crawford. The Quebec side from Montreal curled only 64 per cent as a group, lowest of the day. She found her draw weight in her evening match against Strong, which had the crowd of 1,825 roaring, but fell short when the Newfoundland skip pulled off her winning takeout. "I was reading the ice better," said Ross. "Its a disappointing loss, but Heather made an amazing shot. You want to leave the other team a hard shot, and she made it." Strong had won the Hot Shots competition -- a pre-tournament skills exhibition -- on Saturday morning and it may have helped her against Quebec. "A lot of the (Hot Shots) are indicative of what you face in game, so I referred back to that a lot," she said. "I felt good when I threw it, but I was coming off missing the one right before it, so I was a little torn. "We were exhausted. It was late back home. There were the opening ceremonies, we were in the Hot Shots right through. It was a long day, so to pull off that second win was awesome." Strong had won her first match as she took a 6-2 lead after six ends, then had to hold off a charge from Nova Scotias Heather Smith (0-1) for an 8-5 victory. Van Osch needed an extra end to defeat Kim Dolans Prince Edward Island rink 7-4. The 22-year-old from Victoria admitted to feeling nervous in her debut match, but settled down as it went on against the veteran Dolan, who is in her 10th Scotties. Van Osch said she hasnt set any goals for the tournament. "Were a first-year team," she said. "It was a bonus just to make it to the Scotties this year. Were taking things as they come, game by game." There are three draws scheduled for Sunday, including Team Canada against both Ontario and Quebec. 23:04ET 01-02-14 . - Former Sweden international midfielder Stefan Ishikazi has signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy. . Seventh-seeded Marion Bartoli of France also cruised into the second round of the indoor clay tournament, beating qualifier Iveta Benesova of Czech Republic 6-3, 6-2. .500 on the season. The Jets are now 0-5-1 in the second game of back-to-backs. The game started the same way the Vancouver game started the night before, with the Jets taking the first two penalties of the game and killing off the first, but the Oilers getting on the board first, scoring on the second man-advantage.ORLANDO, Fla. - Marlon Byrd moved across Pennsylvania to Philadelphia. Tampa Bay is considering daring moves, and so is Texas. And the New York Yankees, as always, plan to be in the mix for some big-time deals. As the off-season market for trades and free-agent signings gets underway, Major League Baseball is considering some pretty radical changes for the entire sport next season. Expanded instant replay for umpires calls is virtually certain to be in place by opening day, and theres a chance a rule could be adopted to prevent runners from bowling over catchers at the plate. "Theres a pretty good possibility that something eventually will happen," MLB executive vice-president Joe Torre said Tuesday on the second day of the annual general managers meetings. "Whether its going to be soon enough to have it done this coming year, that remains to be seen. But I dont think its impossible." Outside the formal meeting room, Byrd and Philadelphia agreed to a $16 million, two-year contract, a huge step up from the $800,000 the outfielder earned this year from the New York Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates. And catcher Brayan Pena finalized a two-year deal with the Cincinnati Reds worth $2,275,000. They were the first of the 168 major league free agents to switch teams this off-season. Talk of limiting contact at the plate was the days most interesting development, one that could make Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. Torre said a written proposal will be developed that will be discussed when GMs gather again during the winter meetings, to be held at Lake Buena Vista from Dec. 9-12. "There are college rules where you have to slide. Im not saying thats what youre going to do," Torre said. "The players are bigger, stronger, faster. Its like in other sports. Theyve made adjustments and rules in other sports for that reason, to protect people." Torre said collisions when pitchers cover the plate on wild pitches and passed balls also are an issue. He planned to discuss the matter Wednesday with baseballs rules committee. A change for 2014 would need the approval of the players association. "Suffice it to say, the players have some thoughts of their own regarding home-plate collisions as well as a number of other topics," union deputy executive director Tony Clark, a former All-Star himself, said in an email to The Associated Press. "Well be addressing them all when we meet next month." Torre said agreements with players and umpires on expanded video review should be in place by January. "We expect to be all on the same page by the time we need to have it," he said. Virtually all umpires calls other than balls and strikes, checked swings and some foul tips will be reviewable. The system was tested last week during Arizona Fall League games, with two major league umpires reviewing video and making the final call. Baseball started using video review in 2008 but limited it to home run calls. Owners likely will give their go-ahead Thursday for funding and then approve the rules when they meet in January. "Im sure theyll do as much testing as tthey think is feasible, but ultimately theyll probably go with what they have," New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said. . "There probably will be bugs. ... It might be a little rough at the beginning, but I think that things will work out thereafter." GMs are spending much of this week in meetings, finding out which players might be available in trades and what prices agents are seeking for their clients. "Its not the most conducive time to be doing anything," Oakland GM Billy Beane said. With MLB receiving a large increase next year in revenue from national broadcasting contracts, agents are asking for more at this early point in the off-season. "I think its the agents job always to try to get as much as they can get, since theyve been part of the MLB landscape," Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said. "I dont think its ever changed." With 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner David Price two years from free agency, low-payroll Tampa Bay is exploring trades. The Rays $65 million payroll at the end of the season was 28th among the 30 clubs. "We just cant be afraid to make bold moves," executive vice-president Andrew Friedman said. "Its almost become a cliche of one eye on the present, one eye on the future. Its absolutely our operating philosophy. Its something that we have to do." Texas also could make a big trade splash. Rangers GM Jon Daniels will consider offers for middle infielders Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus to clear a starting spot for 20-year-old Jurickson Profar. "I dont think at this point were going to go down the same path we did last year where Jurickson broke in as a utility player," Daniels said. "Weve got three guys at the big league level. Weve got another two guys at Double-A in Luis Sardinas and Rougned Odor that we view as potentially impact big league guys, and I think the industry does, so were not doing our jobs if we dont at least explore it." While the Rangers are interested in re-signing Nelson Cruz, closer Joe Nathan could be headed elsewhere, perhaps Detroit. Byrd already knows his destination. The 36-year-old outfielder hit a career-high 24 homers last season for the New York Mets and Pittsburgh, which acquired him on Aug. 27. He batted .364 with one homer and five RBIs in six playoff games after hitting .291 during the season with 88 RBIs, one short of his career best. "Marlon adds a significant upgrade both offensively and defensively to our outfield," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said in a statement. "He has been particularly productive against left-handed pitching, which was a serious challenge for us this past season." Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said a determination of Alex Rodriguezs grievance to overturn a 211-game suspension wont deter the team from filling its holes. Rodriguez has a $25 million salary next year and could earn an additional $6 million payment if he hits six home runs and ties Willie Mays at 660. Re-signing second baseman Robinson Cano is a top priority. "Even with Alex as our third baseman, weve got a fair amount of money to start spending to try to fill the holes," Steinbrenner said, "and thats what were going to do." ' ' '