The Women's OUA Curling Championships brought university curling to Sudbury over the weekend of January 31 to February 2. Hosted by the Laurentian Voyageurs at the Idylwylde Golf and Country Club, 16 teams battled for glory on the ice in an action packed event filled with intense battles and standout performances.
Waterloo opened their campaign with a challenging match against McMaster. The Marauders played a patient game, blanking the first end and capitalizing with a pair in the second. Although Waterloo responded with two in the third, McMaster dominated the middle ends with a series of deuces, securing an 8-2 victory. The Warriors rebounded in their second game, showcasing resilience and skill. A pivotal steal of three in the second end and an impressive five-ender in the seventh propelled them to an 11-2 rout over Brock, closing out Day 1 on a high note.
Waterloo carried their momentum into Day 2, facing off against the TMU Bold in a nail biter. Locked in a tight battle, the Warriors secured a clutch deuce in the final end to edge TMU 6-5, improving their record to 2-1. Their final game of the round robin was more decisive. Dominating York with scoring in each of the first five ends, Waterloo cruised to a 9-1 victory. At the end of the round robin, the Warriors stood at 3-1, earning the #3 seed and a spot in the quarterfinals.
Sunday morning brought a tough match up as Waterloo faced Guelph. The Gryphons came out swinging, stealing four points in the opening two ends. Despite Waterloo's efforts to rally, Guelph maintained their control, securing another four points in the fifth end to seal a commanding 9-4 victory. The Warriors' championship hopes ended earlier than expected, but their journey was far from unnoticed.
While the team fell short of their ultimate goal, Waterloo was recognized as a team with elite skill. Shannon Warriner (Burlington, ON) earned Championship MVP for her exceptional play throughout the weekend. She was also named to the OUA First Team All-Stars as the Vice, a testament to her leadership on the ice. Lead Violet French (Ottawa, ON) joined her teammate in the spotlight, earning a spot on the OUA Second Team All-Stars.
