![]() Krista McCarville (photo: Team McCarville) will return to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts after a 6-5 win over Sudbury's Emma Artichuk in the Northern Ontario provincial finals. By Connor Simms, Thunder Bay's Krista McCarville, with Andrea Kelly at third, Kendra Lilly, Ashley Sippala and Sarah Potts on the front end earned their way to represent Northern Ontario in their hometown Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Representing Northern Ontario in seven of the last nine Tournament of Hearts, declining her invite in 2021 due to the "bubble," and 2018 losing the provincials to Tracey Fleury. The Scotties returned to Thunder Bay this season after fans weren't allowed in the building in 2022 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. It is their second season, with Andrea Kelly as the third. Kelly played in the 2022 Thunder Bay Scotties, skipping her team to a bronze medal, her first medal at a Scotties. After missing the playoffs for the first time as a team at the Scotties in Calgary last season, McCarville will look to return to familiar territory. McCarville has played in three other events this season, losing the final at the Mother Club Fall Curling Classic, in the quarterfinals at the Stu Sells Toronto Tankard and winning their most recent event at the Stu Sells Living Waters Collingwood Classic. McCarville finished 5-1 in the 8-team qualifying round. In their opening game, McCarville defeated Claire Dubinsky (Kakabeka Falls, NO) 9-3, then won 8-3 against Ashley Palmer (Thunder Bay, NO) and 9-6 against Emma Artichuk. McCarville won 10-1 against Laura Johnston (North Bay, NO). McCarville went on to lose 6-5 against Robyn Despins. In their final qualifying round match, McCarville responded with a 9-8 win over Lauren Mann (Timmins, NO). In a three-way tie, Artichuk was awarded the bye to the finals due to their draw to the button score, where McCarville was left to play Despins, ultimately defeating them 9-4. They then went on to defeat Artichuk in the final 6-5. |