But the District 9 champs drew the line when it came to playing pushover.

Refusing to accept that role, the local triples team, completed by vice Silvia Linder and lead Lynda Miller, battled back from sizable deficits in their first and final games last weekend in Sarnia.

The result was a highly respectable first showing at the 16-team championship -- for players with five years or less experience -- in which they squeezed in a 17-7 victory over an opponent from Hanover (District 8).

Enjoying three and four-point ends through the early going, the Milton trio was never in any real threat of losing its second-round contest.

"We were all pretty consistent and made the shots we needed to," said Austinsmith, whose team delivered a near-perfect district championship run to reach the provincials.

Milton's 1-2 Ontario showing also included hard-fought losses to District 1's Chatham (15-13) and Oshawa of District 14 (22-15). The local ladies looked poised for a serious beating in both games before strong finishes narrowed the gap.

That was particularly true against Oshawa, who held a 22-6 hammerlock after the fourth end before Austinsmith and company turned things around.

"At that point (after fourth end) we said 'Okay, they're not getting any more points,'" said the local skip. "We actually won 11 ends in that game but three ends early on just killed us. Overall I think we did well, and there's always next year. We'll be back."

In a silver lining finish to the Labour Day weekend, Austinsmith skipped her pairs team -- with Betty Curley -- to an unbeaten title run at the Troy's Diner-sponsored Milton Lawn Bowling's club championships Monday.