.Team Jacobs Advances to Semifinals After Thrilling Win Over Team Gushue
In a highly anticipated quarterfinal matchup at the KIOTI National, Calgary’s Team Brad Jacobs emerged victorious over hometown heroes Team Brad Gushue, winning 6-5 in a thrilling contest. The sold-out crowd at the Mary Brown’s Centre in St. John’s, Newfoundland, was electric, creating a hostile environment for Jacobs and his team.
The match, dubbed the “Battle of the Brads,” lived up to its billing, with both teams exchanging blows throughout. Jacobs led 5-4 in the seventh end and faced a difficult shot with two Gushue stones in the house. Instead of attempting a risky shot, Jacobs opted to concede a point, tying the game and retaining the hammer for the eighth end.
The crowd reacted negatively to Jacobs’ decision, booing loudly and continuing to jeer throughout the final end. Jacobs, however, seemed to relish the opportunity to play the villain, egging the crowd on and ultimately sealing the win with a clutch shot.
Gushue, despite the loss, was impressed with the crowd’s energy and passion. “I love it,” he said in a post-game interview. “I think we need more excitement. We need the fans to get into it.” Gushue also praised Jacobs for his handling of the hostile environment, saying, “He’s the right person for that because that probably motivates him.”
With the win, Team Jacobs advances to the semifinals, where they will face Scotland’s Team Ross Whyte. The other semifinal matchup pits Scotland’s Team Bruce Mouat against Canada’s Team Mike McEwen.
In the women’s quarterfinals, Canada’s Team Kerri Einarson dominated Japan’s Team Satsuki Fujisawa 12-3, while Sweden’s Team Anna Hasselborg edged Halifax’s Team Christina Black 7-6 in an extra end. Canada’s Team Rachel Homan also advanced, stealing a point in an extra end to defeat Japan’s Team Sayaka Yoshimura 7-6.
