Two year ago Tiffany McLean and her team of third Heather Bruederlin, second Blaire Rempel & lead Cassandra Lesiuk played Kerri Einarson in their opening game of the 2015 Provincial Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Winkler.

History was made that Wednesday afternoon.

Einarson stole eight in the seventh end en route to a 16-3 victory over the Dauphin Curling Club foursome.

It was the first eight-ender ever recorded at the Provincial Women's Curling Championship.

The two teams met again Thursday afternoon at the 2017 Provincial Scotties and this time McLean held her own against the reigning Manitoba champions at the Eric Coy Arena in Winnipeg.

For awhile.

Leading 4-2 Einarson cracked four in the sixth end and eventually defeated McLean 10-3.

“We've come a long since September,” said McLean who is playing out of the Portage la Prairie Curling Club this season with new third Mallory Black and new second Danielle Robinson. Cassandra Lesiuk is back at lead and Blaire Rempel is still on the team as the alternate. “We just hope that we can keep improving and win a game or two out there. That's our plan.”

As for McLean's 2015 Scotties experience.
 
“Going into that competition, we were coach-less and we were kind of doing our own thing, trying to push our way through,” said the 26-year-old who worked on her game in her hometown of Dauphin. “It was kind of a rough start. Going into the second game we knew people were talking about it and it's not the best way to put yourself on the map. But nevertheless it was a good learning experience. It didn't slow us down and we're back here today. We're happy to be here.”

“Even at the time we were surprised but stuff happens and you move on from it and you get better from it,” added McLean on giving up that eight-ender. “ I knew walking into this competition there was no chance of that happening again. We think we played okay today. A couple of unfortunate misses put us behind but that's the way it goes.”

 

 

2017 Provincial Scotties Tournament of Hearts
@ the Eric Coy Arena in Winnipeg
Friday, January 27th
Draw #9  8:30 a.m.
Kerri Einarson, East St. Paul 9 Cathy Overton-Clapham, Fort Rouge 5
Michelle Englot, Granite 6 Darcy Robertson, Pembina 5
Beth Peterson, Assiniboine Memorial 8 Meghan Armit, West Kildonan 6
Lisa Menard, Dauphin 12 Tiffany McLean, Portage 4

Draw #10  12:15 p.m.
Jennifer Jones, St. Vital 8 Joelle Brown, Assiniboine Memorial 4
Shannon Birchard, St. Vital 7 Briane Meilleur, Fort Rouge 4
Cheryl Reed, Brandon 10 Colleen Kilgallen, East St. Paul 5
Jennifer Briscoe, Thompson 6 Christine MacKay, Fort Rouge 5

Draw #11  4 p.m.
Einarson 7 Englot 3
Robertson 6 Overton-Clapham 5
McLean 7 Peterson 5
Menard 9 Armit 3

Draw #12  7:45 p.m.
Jones 9 Meilleur 5
Kilgallen 8 Briscoe 7 (EE)
Reed 6 MacKay 5 (EE)
Birchard 9 Brown 8


Standings
Red Group
Einarson & Englot 5-1
Robertson 4-2
Overton-Clapham, Peterson & Menard 3-3
McLean 1-5
Armit 0-6

Black Group
Jones 6-0
Reed & Birchard 4-2
Meilleur 3-3
Brown, MacKay & Briscoe 2-4
Kilgallen 1-5