(FREDERICTON, NB) On a chilly Saturday in Fredericton, Day three of the Atlantic University Curling Championships took place at the Capital Winter Club.
The women wrapped up round robin play in draw number five, which saw Dalhousie, Saint Mary's, UPEI and Memorial clinch spots in the semi-finals.
In the semi-finals, Dal and Saint Mary's were victorious on the men's side. The Tigers defeated the Memorial Sea-Hawks 4-3 in a close match that came down to the find stone. The Huskies would score a 7-5 victory over the host UNB REDS.
In the women's bracket Dal won big over the Huskies, 7-2 and UPEI was able to hold off a late push from Saint Mary's to defeat the Huskies 7-5.
Draw 5
UNB vs MUN
Memorial clinched the final spot in the playoffs after defeating the host REDS 8-6. It was a game of steals with the Sea-Hawks stealing a single point in the 3rd and 4th ends before scoring a huge 3-point steal in the 5th end. The REDS were able to rally to tie the game thanks to a crucial missed final throw by MUN skip Mackenzie Mitchell in the 8th end and send it to an extra frame. Mitchell would redeem herself in the extra frame, delivering her team's final stone into the house to take two points and the victory 8-6.
SMU vs UPEI
SMU punched their ticket to the semi-finals after handing the UPEI Panthers their first loss of the robin-robin. The Huskies were able to use a strong 7th end to score 3 points to jump ahead 7-3. But UPEI skip Rachel MacLean continued her strong play making a great shot in the 8th end to score two for the Panthers, sending the game to an extra end. In the extra frame the Huskies were able score a double to defeat the Panthers 9-7.
Dal vs MTA
The Mounties closed out round robin play on a high note, defeating the Dalhousie Tigers 6-3 to earn their first victory of the tournament. The Mounties were able to rally in the second half, scoring a double in the 5thfollowed by two consecutive steals of a point in the 6th and 7th end to defeat the Tigers.
Semi-Finals
MUN vs UPEI
After losing their first match of the tournament earlier in the day the Panthers rebounded to defeat Memorial 5-3.
The Panthers got off to a great start in this match scoring a double in the opening frame. The teams would trade singles in the next four ends before the Panthers were able to steal a single from the Hawks in the 6thend to take a 5-2 lead. The Sea-Hawks would score a single in the 7th end to make in 5-3 but were unable to close the gap in the final frame.
Dal vs SMU
The Tigers will have a chance to defend their AUS title after defeating the SMU Huskies 7-2. An opening end double followed by a triple steal in the 2nd end allowed the Tigers to take a commanding 5-0 lead over the Huskies to open the match.
The Huskies would score a single in the 3rd end before stealing a point in the 4th end. The Tigers would finish off the game with a double in the 6th end which lead to the team's shaking hands.
"I thought we played a really strong first half," said Dal skip Marin Callaghan. "We let that carry us through to the second half."
The final matches get underway Sunday morning at 9:30am.
On the men's side, the defending championship Tigers will face their cross-town rivel Saint Mary's Huskies.
The hometown UNB REDS will take on the Memorial Sea-Hawks in the bronze medal game.
On the women's side, Dal will look to hold on to their AUS crown when they take on the red-hot Panthers.
In the women's bronze medal match, Memorial will face Saint Mary's.
Both bronze medal matches will determine the final AUS bid for the U SPORTS Championships, with three teams receiving an automatic bid to the tournament in Sudbury, March 15-19.
RECAP AND PHOTOS: Evan Richtsfeld/UNB Athletics