By Jonathan Brazeau
VICTORIA — It would have been understandable if Thursday's game was a little emotional for Kerri Einarson and Val Sweeting.
The numbers speak for themselves: eight years, three world championship medals, five Scotties Tournament of Hearts titles and five Grand Slam of Curling championships. Einarson's career highs and milestones are forever linked with Sweeting by her side.
After parting ways during the off-season, Sweeting joined Kayla MacMillan's Victoria-based team, initially at third but now handling skip duties as well.
That meant Einarson and Sweeting were facing off strategy-wise head-to-head in the house when their teams clashed in the preliminary round of the GSOC Co-op Invitational at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
Einarson and her Gimli, Manitoba, team prevailed 5-4 in what will likely be the first of many meetings between them.
"Definitely playing against old teammates is tough and always a little bit challenging," Einarson said. "It's just different, that's for sure. We were teammates for eight years. I have so much respect for her, and they're a great team."
The back-and-forth battle was evenly matched through the first five ends as the teams exchanged singles and deuces.
After Einarson was forced to draw for one in the sixth to take a 4-3 lead, MacMillan was looking to blank in the seventh end and retain the hammer coming home. An unfortunate pick led to a nose hit and a tying point instead, handing the all-important hammer over to Einarson for the final frame.
Big Shot Kerri did what she does best on her final throw, making the come-around tap to bump her other stone in for the shot rock.
The victory got Team Einarson back on track with a 2-1 record (six points) after a disappointing 9-4 loss to Team Miyu Ueno on Wednesday.
"Coming off of a game that I struggled quite badly yesterday, it feels good to rebound and play well," Einarson said. "We played well right from lead to skip, so (we) put some pressure on them and they made some really great shots, too.
"I came in with a pressure shot. I just sat in the hack, and I was like, 'Make this for your team, Kerri, make this for your team.' Throw the weight close, let them brush it, and they did just that."
Holding the broom at the other end of the house now is Jocelyn Peterman, who not only joined at the lead position — with Karlee Burgess and Shannon Birchard moving up to second and third, respectively — but she's also handling vice skip duties.
A new team, a new throwing position and a new role sounds daunting, but the two-time Olympian said it's been good so far.
"The girls have been super supportive," said Peterman, who threw second stones on Kaitlyn Lawes's team during the previous quadrennial. "Obviously, learning a new position is a bit of a learning curve, and they've been really supportive.
"Honestly, being in the house with Kerri has been a lot of fun. I was really looking forward to that and kind of that side of the game, helping with strategy and the line calls."
Einarson added earlier in the week that Peterman has been doing great.
"I knew she'd be a great fit," Einarson said. "She's played mixed doubles and calling line, and she's a great shooter. She's been to the Olympics twice. We knew she'd be a great fit for this team, and we've been doing well this season."
Of course, having Einarson making those clutch shots for the win makes Peterman's job easier.
"Honestly, she's the best," Peterman said. "Big shot, big game player, so it's a bit of pressure on those line calls because she's so close on everything, but it's a lot of fun."
Einarson isn't in the clear for the playoffs yet, with undefeated Team Eun-ji Gim (3-0, nine points) remaining in preliminary round play.
"Yeah, definitely we want to come out with a solid game. I think if we play like we did today, we should have a really good game," she said. "We're back on sheet C, so we'll see. It's been a little challenging, that sheet, I think for everyone, so just trying to catch on to it before they do."
MacMillan (1-2, two points) wraps up the preliminary round against Ueno (2-1, six points).
While Team MacMillan can count on the Victoria faithful to cheer them on, Einarson had family members in the stands supporting her, including her uncle, 2000 Brier and world champion Greg McAulay, and his wife, Yadranka.
"It's amazing having my uncle Greg and Yadranka here and my parents travelling here to come and watch," Einarson said. "It's always special to have your family in the stands and looking up and knowing that you have some familiar faces out there."
