Mixed doubles curling Session 9
In the ninth session of the mixed doubles curling tournament in the 2022 Winter Olympics, Great Britain faced off against unbeaten Italy, Norway took on China, and Switzerland played Czech Republic. Here are results from Saturday morning's matches, and results from Session 8's games listed below.
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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 in Beijing, 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 a throw even better, 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. GB 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. EST Saturday.
Italy (6-0) will return to also play China at 1:05 a.m. EST 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 got 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 their best end of the game, scoring three points in the seventh, but they 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. EST Sunday.
China (2-4) will play at 8:05 p.m. EST 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 a 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 their final shot on the button for a point and Czech conceded the game from there.
Czech Republic (2-4) will next play the U.S. at 8:05 p.m. EST Saturday.
Switzerland (2-4) will play again at 1:05 a.m. EST 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 their lead, 5-1, at the halfway point.
Canada played their 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 their 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. EST against Norway.
SEE MORE: Sweden defeats Canada in mixed doubles curling
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 their 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. EST Sunday against Switzerland.
SEE MORE: Italy defeats Australia in mixed doubles curling
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 GB 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 throw for Czech went through the house, increasing GB’s score to 5-1.