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University of Waterloo Athletics

2015 OUA Champs Opening Ceremony

Men's Curling

2015 OUA Championship Recap

Written by: Scott Allen

OUA Championship Results
Game 1 vs Lakehead - Loss 8 - 3
Game 2 vs Windsor - Won 9 - 5
Game 3 vs Laurier - Loss 6 - 3
Game 4 vs Trent - Won 5 - 4 (extra end)
Game 5 vs MacMaster - Win 8 - 1
Game 6 vs Laurentian - Loss 5 - 2
Game 7 vs Brock - Loss 6 - 2
 
As a coach it is never easy watching games slip away or opportunities lost but that was the story for the Varsity Men's Curling this past event. Game by game play would indicate an up and down weekend and, for the most part, that would be a correct analysis. It is not that we do not have the curling talent but more one of execution at the right time and that seemed to elude the team especially in the loses against Laurier and Laurentian. In these games a simple difference on one or two shots made the difference between winning and not.
 
Our first game vs Lakehead was a good contest and except for one bad end where we gave them a four, the contest was quite good. For our initial game of the tournament the team played well and kept pressure on the opponents. Unfortunately even an exceptional raise take-out to count a deuce in the 7th end came too late to stem the loss.
Skip: Matt   Vice: Nathan   2nd: Connor   Lead: Ed
 
The team rebounded with a very solid performance against Windsor in their second game of the day easily controlling the play from start to finish and posting some high percentages at all positions. Few misses and huge support from Ben Davies (Chatham) at lead (with an 89% game) helped skip Matt Allan dominate the opponents. Admittedly Windsor was not sharp and when you play against a team that is the outcome often is foretold.
Skip: Matt   Vice: Nathan   2nd: Connor   Lead: Ben
 
With a 1 - 1 record Waterloo met their rivals Laurier. Despite a 6 - 3 loss, this was a well-played game at all positions. Down by 1 after the 4th end (3 - 2) Waterloo was forced to a single in the 5th. Following a blank in the 6th, Laurier were counting a single in the 7th with lots of rocks in play all around the 4 foot. With Waterloo sitting second shot, Matt tried to guard a run back but his shot stayed wide which left Aaron Squires a run back for a triple. This put the game out of reach and Laurier ran Waterloo out of stones in the 8th end.
Skip: Matt   Vice: Nathan   2nd: Connor   Lead: Ed
 
What a weird game strategy we faced against an in experienced skip when we faced Trent in our 4th game. Even speaking with their coach, Steven Whitehill, he was not sure why some of the shots were called. Be that as it may, their strategy worked and we had a back-and-forth game trading and stealing singles to end up tied 4 - 4 after the first 8 ends. The 9th end was to be an end full of errors as both teams did not effectively capitalize on their opponents errors. Lying a single, without hammer, after Matt's last rock, the Trent skip missed a wide open take-out to give the Warriors our second victory and keep us in the middle of the pack in our pool. Not pretty but a win is a win at times.
Skip: Matt   Vice: Nathan   2nd: Connor   Lead: Ed
 
Entering our third day of competition we faced MacMaster and what was an easy victory. Starting with a deuce, Waterloo stole singles in the 2nd and 3rd ends before MacMaster were able to get on the scoreboard with a single in the 4th end. That was their shining point as our curlers posted a solid 4 in the 5th and hand shakes all around. Few errors, great opportunities and taking advantage of situations all led the team to a well needed victory.
Skip: Matt   Vice: Nathan   2nd: Connor   Lead: Ben 
 
Our game vs. Laurentian was definitely a turning point in the event. At this point Waterloo was still in the hunt for a play-off spot even with losses to Lakehead and Laurier (who at the time were front runners behind Brock). This was a game of compounded errors and missed potential. Certainly a team that we could beat, Waterloo was unable to sustain any momentum and steals of a deuce in 4 and a single in 7 boosted Laurentian to a 5 - 2 victory. The front end, Ed Moore and Connor Bradey (Guelph) both posted excellent percentages for this game but the back end were not able to keep pace. This game was pivotal to our hopes for a tie-breaker spot and we needed other games to go our way which, unfortunately, they did not. Certainly a team we could have bested, we were unable to sustain momentum in this critical loss.  
Skip: Matt   Vice: Nathan   2nd: Connor   Lead: Ed
 
We go to the final day / game against unbeaten Brock. If only to end with a winning record and post a loss from then unbeaten Brock this was a game that, for the most part, had little meaning to either team. As a coach I feel we lost this game in the second end when, with hammer and trailing by a single, Matt's last draw came up short and gave Brock a steal of two. Generally this early in a game, even down 3, there is plenty of time to rebound however this was not the case and even posting some solid percentages in the latter part of the game, Brock were relentless in their play. We could not match them shot-for-shot and in the end fell victim to what proved on the day to be the better team.
Skip: Matt   Vice: Nathan   2nd: Connor   Lead: Ed
 
 
POSITIVES
A good base for future growth. A solid skip with a great appreciation of strategy, game play and patience. A few minor changes will make him even better. Three other players with many years ahead and good curling style. The Warriors have a solid base for the coming season
 
NEGATIVES
I see a need to develop more practice as a team. Though I know there was / were conflicts with co-op and work, I believe that some extra ice time would have assisted in cementing the team further. This is never easy with student-atheltes as they balance personal life, work, academics and athletics but can be achieved. This potential extra ice time could have assisted the team.
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Players Mentioned

Connor Bradey

Connor Bradey

6' 3"
First Year
2
Ben Davies

Ben Davies

5' 11"
First Year
1

Players Mentioned

Connor Bradey

Connor Bradey

6' 3"
First Year
2
Ben Davies

Ben Davies

5' 11"
First Year
1