Horgan rink now at 4-3 with three games to go

Yes, a 7-5 triumph over Patti Knezevic of British Columbia in the morning draw was nice. With the win, Northern Ontario moved to 4-3 while Knezevic and company slid to 1-8.

But it was a huge 6-5 extra end victory over Stefanie Lawson of Saskatchewan, and the doubling effect that came with it, that made Day Five of the national ladies curling championships all the more rewarding for the Idylwylde Golf & Country Club quartet.

Pulling the Lawton rink back to the pack, Team Horgan emerged Thursday morning tied with the host team with a record of 5-3, both sitting in the fourth and final playoff slot with three games remaining for each crew.

Holding last rock advantage out of the gate, Horgan and Lawton traded single point ends until the sixth, when the Sudbury ladies picked up an important deuce, taking a 4-2 lead at the time.

That advantage was quickly offset by the hometown favourites, scoring once in seven and adding a steal of one in eight. With each team forcing the other to a single point in the final two ends, it was the hammer in the extra end that would make the difference.

Facing a pair of open stones sitting one and two for Saskatchewan, Horgan made the nose hit with minimal movement of the rock, holding shot rock in the end by a matter of inches.

The stakes increase even more this morning, as the Northern Ontario squad face Julie Hastings of Ontario (4-4), moving on to battle Jennifer Jones of Manitoba (7-1) and closing with Rachel Homan and the Team Canada foursome (6-2) first thing Friday morning.

Though it was likely not front of mind for the Horgan rink, the victories on Wednesday also ensured the team would return home with an improved record over their first Scotties appearance in 2012.

At 5-3 already, the team will better, by at least one game, the 4-7 record that they posted in Red Deer, Alberta. That, however, would be small consolation considering their current position in the standings.