(HALIFAX, NS) UNB's Jack Smeltzer opened the 2020 Subway Atlantic University Sport Curling Championships, in Halifax, dropping a 9-6 decision to Memorial's Greg Blyde.

The Newfoundland rink scored a single in the seventh end and stole a pair in the eighth.

Smeltzer's Reds rink will look to bounce back on Friday morning when they face the host Saint Mary's Huskies, at 9:30am.

Also in men's play on Thursday, Dalhousie's Matt Manuel beat Kyle Walker, of St FX, 12-2 in six ends.

On the women's side, UNB's Justine Comeau got off on the right foot, scoring a 9-4 win over Mount Allison's Samantha Cook.

The Comeau foursome scored three in the eighth end to seal the win.

UNB doubled the Mounties 2-1 in stolen ends, and took a total of five points in stolen ends.

The Reds will face St FX in the second draw, at 9:30am on Friday. Emma Kealy's X rink fell 10-4 to Memorial on Thursday.

Other women's games saw Dalhousie's Kristin Clarke beat host Saint Mary's Taylour Stevens 11-0, in five ends.

The sixth annual AUS Championships are being hosted by the Saint Mary's Huskies, at the CFB Halifax Curling Club.

Six women's teams and five men's teams are competing in a round-robin. The top four advance to Saturday's semi-finals, with the finals taking place on Sunday. All four finalists earn berths into the U SPORTS Curling Championships, March 11-15, in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.

Day two of the event will see three draws. 9:30am, 2:00pm, and 7:00pm.

TEAM STANDINGS

Men
Dalhousie Tigers (1-0)
Memorial Sea-Hawks (1-0)
UNB Reds (0-1)
St FX X-Men (1-1)
SMU Huskies (0-0)

Women
Dalhousie Tigers (1-0)
Memorial Sea-Hawks (1-0)
UNB Reds (1-0)
SMU Huskies (0-1)
Mount Allison Mounties (0-1)
St FX W-Women (0-1)

RECAP BY: Dominic Nolasco/for SMU Athletics

PHOTOS BY: Nick Pearce/for SMU Athletics