Canada’s Kerri Einarson defeated Italy’s Stefania Constantini 7-2 in round-robin play at the world women’s curling championship in Sandviken, Sweden.
Einarson, Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard and Briane Harris improved to 3-1 after six draws of play at the Goransson Arena.
Italy faced a triple-raise double-takeout to score in the ninth end but gave up a steal of two to end the game.
Einarson and her Manitoba-based team will play Scotland’s Rebecca Morrison later Monday.
On Sunday, Einarson stole three points in the final end of a 9-6 win over Norway’s Marianne Roervik to salvage a split of her round-robin games.
Einarson made a tapback to the edge of the button and Norwegian fourth Kristin Skaslien missed a double runback to leave both teams at 2-1 after five draws.
“I thought we got off to a better start and had a good handle on the ice,” stated Canada third Sweeting. “We just coughed up a couple of steals, but that’s going to happen because they were tough shots.
“Overall it was a better game and Kerri made a pistol on the last one to line it up like that. We never gave up and we kept plugging away.”
Earlier in the day, Einarson’s rink dropped an 8-7 decision to Tabitha Peterson. The American made a long straight-back raise takeout for a single in the 10th end for the triumph.
The top six teams in the 13-team field will qualify for the playoff round. The final is scheduled for Sunday. Einarson collected bronze at last year’s world championship in Prince George, B.C.