Three-time defending champion Kelly Scott of Kelowna narrowly avoided a loss in the first draw of the BC Scotties women's curling championship at the Cloverdale Curling club Monday morning.
Scott scored twice in the 10th to force an extra end, and stole one more in the 11th for an 9-8 win over Roberta Kuhn of Vernon, one of five games played. Kuhn put up three in the ninth to erase a one-point deficit and take an 8-6 lead into the final frame.
In other first-round play, Marla Mallett of the host Cloverdale club drew for one in the 10th for a 7-6 victory over Marilou Richter of the Royal City Curling Club, Patti Knezevic of Prince George stole one in the 10th to edge Royal City's Lori Olsen 9-8, Kirsten Fox of Royal City also got a win by stealing one in the 10th end in an 8-7 victory over Simone Groundwater of Williams Lake, while Abbotsford's Grace MacInnes doubled Simone Brosseau of Juan de Fuca 6-3.
The Cloverdale club is hosting the BC Scotties for the second time in three years.
"We have a great facility and we have excellent ice," said club manager Judy MacKinnon. "I think hosting the event in 2011 put the Cloverdale Curling Club on the curling fan and curler map, so we’re happy to have the Scotties return.
The second draw is tonight at 6:30 p.m., with the third and fourth set for tomorrow at 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. respectively.