MOOSE JAW, Sask. - Alberta skip Val Sweeting has endured several lineup changes since making her first Scotties Tournament of Hearts final a year ago.

The fluctuating roster hasn't affected her results. Sweeting has become a force in the women's game and is one of the favourites at the 2015 women's national curling championship at Mosaic Place.

Her Edmonton rink is off to a good start at 3-0 after a 6-5 victory over Nova Scotia's Mary-Anne Arsenault and a 10-4 win against New Brunswick's Sylvie Robichaud on Sunday.

Sweeting really emerged at last year's Scotties in Montreal when she dropped the championship game to Ottawa's Rachel Homan.

A few weeks later, Joanne Courtney left Sweeting's rink to join the Homan side. Courtney was replaced by longtime New Brunswick skip Andrea Crawford, but she left the team last October for personal reasons.

Crawford's departure came just before the Masters and Cathy Overton-Clapham filled in as a last-minute replacement and helped them to victory.

Enter Lori Olson-Johns, who has brought leadership and a veteran touch to a young team that includes second Dana Ferguson and lead Rachelle Brown. Sweeting said the addition of Olson-Johns has also given them some needed stability.

"Finally we got some breaks and finally things are coming together and the world is not out to beat us down," Sweeting said. "It definitely wasn't easy to push through and to see the silver lining in everything. But we're doing good now and you've just to keep pushing and keep going.

"It's been a great last couple of months. We've just really gelled as a team."

Olson-Johns, a former teammate of retired skip Cheryl Bernard, joined the Sweeting rink in November and really felt settled when they beat Homan to win the Canada Cup the following month.

Sweeting later hit the top spot in the Canadian Team Ranking System standings and the team rode the momentum into the provincial playdowns.

"Certainly when we got that No. 1 spot right before Christmas, we definitely took pictures of the CTRS website," Olson-Johns said. "It's exciting to know that week in and week out, you're playing consistently with the best in the world."

Sweeting's rink beat Chelsea Carey 9-7 last month to secure a Scotties berth.

"I looked at the girls and I said, 'I think I'm on the team now,'" Olson-Johns said with a laugh.

Sweeting, 27, is tabbed as a playoff contender this week along with Homan, Manitoba's Jennifer Jones and Stefanie Lawton of the host Saskatchewan side.

"She's an incredible shooter," Olson-Johns said of her skip. "Her skillset is top notch and she's brilliant. She's wise beyond her years. She calls an incredible game. I'm loving playing with her ... she's the future of this game."

Sweeting, Homan and Jones (all 3-0) share first place after five draws.

"We're really coming together as a team and trusting the ice," Sweeting said. "I think if we get back in that final, we'll be more comfortable this year having been in it before. And then also the Canada Cup final (helps). I think just that more experience helps you settle in a little bit more and helps you play a little bit better."

Olson-Johns, 38, made her Scotties debut back in 2005 as a third for Cathy King. She played a few games with the Sweeting rink over the summer and thought she might get the occasional call to be a spare this season.

The foursome quickly developed a strong camaraderie — complete with a little teasing on occasion.

"They wanted to know what the Scotties was like 10 years ago," Olson-Johns joked. "They're great girls and they keep me young and I really respect all of them. I think we all respect each other and our skillsets. So I don't feel too old.

"They have really made me feel like part of the team. But they do call me granny-pants. A few times, you know."

In afternoon play Sunday, Heather Strong of Newfoundland and Labrador beat Prince Edward Island's Suzanne Birt 7-4 and Northern Ontario's Tracy Horgan outscored Quebec's Lauren Mann 10-6. Jones crushed B.C.'s Patti Knezevic 11-2 and Ontario's Julie Hastings edged Arsenault 8-7 in an extra end.

In the evening draws, Homan bested Hastings 10-7, Jones toppled Lawton 7-4 and Birt beat Horgan 7-5.

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