Black Sets Sights on Tier 2 Playoffs with Second Win

Halifax's Christina Black (photo: Michael Burns, Curling Canada) won 6-5 over Kayla Skrlik of Calgary in Day 3 action at the HearingLife Tour Challenge in Niagara Falls. Black with Jenn Baxter at third, Karlee Everist and Shelley Barker on the front end fell behind early, in the afternoon game against Skrlik and her team of Geri-Lynn Ramsay, Brittany Tran and Ashton Skrlik, the Alberta-side scoring three in the second end to open scoring. Black was held to a single in the third end, but stole consecutive deuces in the fourth and fifth ends to sneak away with a 5-3 lead after 5 ends. Skrlik got 2 back in the sixth end to even the score at 5, then after a blank end, Black scored the single point needed for the win. In their opening game on Tuesday, Black defeated Michele Jaeggi (Bern, SUI) 6-5, then dropping an 8-6 decision against Jessie Hunkin (Spruce Grove, AB) on Wednesday. Black has one game remaining against Delaney Strouse of Traverse City, Michigan. Skrlik came into the game with two wins, first on Tuesday against Danielle Inglis of Ottawa, 4-3 and on Wednesday aginst Sarah Anderson of Chaska, Minnesota, 9-3. Skrlik finishes against Japan's Sayaka Yoshimura, currently leading the event with a 3-0 record. Black now has a career record of 10 wins and 11 losses in this their 5th appearance at the HearingLife Tour Challenge Tier 2 event. Round-robin play continues at the Gale Centre through Friday evening, with the playoffs starting Saturday. Teams hope to reach Sunday's final where a $7,000 bonus and an expenses-paid invitation to the Co-op Canadian Open in Red Deer, held in January, will be on the line.