Mixed doubles curling Session 9
In the ninth session of the mixed doubles curling tournament at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Great Britain faced off against unbeaten Italy, Norway took on China, and Switzerland played the Czech Republic. Here are results from Saturday morning's matches, and results from Session 8's games listed below.
Italy 7, Great Britain 5 (Session 9)
The biggest surprise of the 2022 Winter Olympics mixed curling tournament continued to surprise Saturday morning. Italy, the last unbeaten team, defeated defending world champions Great Britain, 7-5.
Italy scored two points in the fourth, and stole another in the fifth to go up 4-2.
Stefania Constantini placed a perfect throw in the 4-foot in front of two GB stones, but Jennifer Dodds responded with an even-better throw, taking out Italy’s stone for two points to tie the score going into the seventh.
Italy scored three more in the seventh to put the game out of reach. GBR tried to play the eighth, but conceded with one stone left when they determined they couldn’t get the needed three points for the win.
Great Britain (4-2) will next take on China at 8:05 p.m. ET Saturday. Italy (6-0) will return to also play China at 1:05 a.m. ET Sunday.
Norway 9, China 6 (Session 9)
A big 5-point end was the deciding factor for Norway in a 9-6 win over China.
With four stones in the house at the end of the sixth, Norway’s Kristin Skaslien just needed a simple takeout for a big end for her squad.
Skaslien instead executed a double takeout, perfectly played, and Norway took five points in the end to go up 9-3 with two ends to play.
Norway scored two points in the second, and stole one point in each of the third and fourth ends to take an early 4-1 lead.
China responded with its best end of the game, scoring three points in the seventh. But the Chinese pair couldn’t get enough stones in the house in the eighth, forcing them to concede the final stone and the game.
Norway (3-3) will next take on Sweden at 1:05 p.m. ET Sunday. China (2-4) will play at 8:05 p.m. ET Saturday against Great Britain.
Switzerland 11, Czech Republic 3 (Session 9)
Switzerland opened the game with a big 3-point end in the first and stole points in each of the next four ends for an insurmountable lead in an 11-3 win over the Czech Republic.
Switzerland stole one point in the second, and added to that lead by stealing three more in the third. Jenny Perrett placed Switzerland’s final stone right on the inside, and Zuzana Paulova’s hammer throw hit a guard and didn’t make it inside.
Paulova’s takeout shot with hammer in the fourth drifted out of the 4-foot, allowing Switzerland to steal two more points and extend their lead to 9-0 at the halfway mark.
Czech scored three in the sixth to keep the game going, but after Switzerland was able to land its final shot on the button for a point, the Czechs conceded the game from there.
Czech Republic (2-4) will next play the United States at 8:05 p.m. ET Saturday. Switzerland (2-4) will play again at 1:05 a.m. ET Sunday against Australia.
Sweden 6, Canada 2 (Session 8)
Canada conceded with one rock left in the seventh to give Sweden a 6-2 win over the defending Olympic gold medalists Saturday.
Sweden opened the game with a point in the first end and stole another in the second to take an early 2-0 lead.
Rachel Homan missed a takeout attempt in the fourth, setting up an easy 3-point end for Sweden to extend its lead, 5-1, at the halfway point.
Canada played its power play in the fifth to try to get some points back, but had to settle for just a single point after again mistakes left the house clear for the hammer throw.
The win keeps Sweden in second place in the overall mixed doubles standings. Sweden (5-2) will next play on Sunday morning at 1:05 a.m. ET against Norway.
Italy 7, Australia 3 (Session 8)
Italy remained unbeaten in Olympic play with a 7-3 win over Australia Saturday.
The Italian team led by four in the eighth and Australia conceded the final rock after a mistake cleared the house and made it impossible to get the four points needed to tie the score and force extra ends.
A close game early was broken open by Italy’s Stefania Constantini, who placed her hammer throw just on the edge of the 4-foot for three points in the seventh to put the Italians up 7-3 with one end to play.
Italy previously stole a point in the third to take an early 3-1 lead.
Australia (0-7), still looking for their first Olympics win, will take two sessions off and return to play at 1:05 a.m. ET Sunday against Switzerland.
Great Britain 8, Czech Republic 3 (Session 8)
Great Britain stayed firmly in third place in the mixed doubles standings with an 8-3 win over Czech Republic Saturday.
Jennifer Dodds had a takeout and kept her stone in the 4-foot for two points for GBR in the seventh, forcing Czech Republic to concede the eighth end and the match.
Great Britain scored two points in the second and stole three more in the third after the throw lied perfectly on the button, and Zuzana Paulova's throw for the Czechs went through the house, increasing GBR’s score to 5-1.