Deep runs by Team Silvernagle are getting to be commonplace at major curling events in this country.
The latest happened this past week in Toronto, when Robyn Silvernagle and the rest of the team made it to the semifinals of the Players' Championship, part of the Grand Slam of Curling.
This was the team’s best ever Grand Slam finish after making it to the quarter-finals of the previous Pinty’s event, the Meridian Canadian Open, in North Battleford.
Despite the final outcome the team saw some impressive performances against top-notch competition. Team Silvernagle defeated both the reigning Canadian and world champions as well as the Pinty’s Cup season champion during the week.
Silvernagle began play with an extra-end win over Ontario’s Rachel Homan April 9, scoring two in the eighth and one point in the extra end to win 5-4.
Homan’s team ultimately clinched the Pinty’s Cup overall title at this Grand Slam event.
Silvernagle beat Jennifer Jones 7-4 on Wednesday and Elena Stern 5-4 on Thursday to move to 3-0. The team’s first loss came Friday morning to Tracy Fleury of Manitoba 7-3, but rebounded with a 6-5 win over the 2019 world champion Silvana Tirinzoni in an extra end.
Those results put Team Silvernagle into the playoffs, with Silvernagle up against the reigning Canadian champion Chelsea Carey from Alberta.
After taking an early lead, Carey fought back to take a 4-3 lead going into the final end. But Silvernagle scored two in that crucial end to take a 5-4 win and advance to the semi-finals.
In the semi-finals, the team met their tournament demise against Kerri Einarson out of Winnipeg.
The Einarson team scored three in the seventh to break at 4-4 tie and scored a 7-4 win. Einarson went on to defeat Anna Hasselborg 5-4 for the title.
Next up for the Silvernagle team is a return to Saskatchewan to play in the final Pinty’s event of the season: the Champions Cup in Saskatoon beginning April 23.
“Stay tuned for our Champions Cup schedule. We can’t wait to play at home next week!” Silvernagle said on Twitter on Sunday.
