New Brunswick skip Kelly joining Team McCarville as import
Published
Krista McCarville’s rink from Thunder Bay has become a five-player squad as they look to get over the hump at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
Team McCarville – also featuring Kendra Lilly, Ashley Sippala and Sarah Potts - announced Monday night that they’ve added veteran New Brunswick skip Andrea Kelly as an import.
Kelly, 37, has skipped New Brunswick at 11 Tournament of Hearts, including this year in Kamloops, B.C., missing the playoffs with a 3-5 record. She will play vice on McCarville's team.
Team McCarville – coached by Rick Lang – are hoping the addition of Kelly will change their fortunes at nationals.
McCarville’s squad have been perennial contenders at the Canadian women’s curling championship since joining forces in 2015. They’ve made the Scotties playoffs in each of their six appearances but have never stood atop the podium with final losses coming in 2016 and 2022.
At this year’s Scotties, they earned the top seed in Pool B with a 7-1 record before struggling in the playoffs, losing to Manitoba’s Team Jennifer Jones in the 1 vs. 2-game and Canada’s Team Kerri Einarson, the eventual champions, in the semi-final. They shot 70 per cent and 78 per cent, respectively, in those games.
Team Kelly – with Sylvie Quillian at third, Jill Brothers at second and Katie Forward at lead - announced last week they would be disbanding after one season as a foursome.
A native of Fredericton, Kelly won the bronze medal at the 2022 Scotties, her best result at the national championship.
More shakeups in women’s curling
In other news, Quebec’s Team Laurie St-Georges announced that they have a major announcement coming on Wednesday regarding their lineup for next season
“We have one hell of an announcement waiting for you on Wednesday evening,” the team Tweeted. “Let’s just say the number of World and National Championship appearances our team now has just skyrocketed!”
Earlier this month, Price Edward Island curling legend Suzanne Birt, who has 14 Scotties appearances under her belt, announced she would be taking a break from curling and her team would be going their separate ways.
Manitoba’s Team Chelsea Carey as well as Alberta’s Team Casey Scheidegger and Team Kelsey Rocque also announced breakups.