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Comeback slides U.S. women's curlers into tie for 3rd
By Julie Dockstader-Heaps
Deseret News Olympic specialist
OGDEN — The USA Curling Association has a new bumper sticker — "Curling Rocks!"
The same can be said of what the women's U.S. curling team did Sunday afternoon at The Ice Sheet. Down two in the 10th end against Great Britain, U.S. skip Kari Erickson threw a soft draw to tie the score and send the game into an extra end.
Then she did it again. With her last stone, Erickson threw a soft hit-and-roll to hide behind two of Great Britain's rocks. When opposing skip Rhona Martin's last throw was heavy and bounced away, the Americans had pulled off yet another comeback victory, winning 6-5 and putting them in a tie for third place with Great Britain (actually Scotland playing under the British flag).
The victory guarantees Team USA at least a playoff spot, and that may not be necessary if the Americans beat Norway Monday morning. A victory will put them in the semifinals, which means a shot at the first U.S. Olympic medal in curling.
"We're coming back and winning now instead of coming back and losing," a smiling Erickson said following the dramatic win. "I got a second chance at the shot I took the first time. (Martin) had a tough shot."
Team USA lead Ann Swisshelm referred to a comment she made about the wheels being back on the bus after the Americans beat Russia. "What bus?" she asked Sunday. "We're in a race car now.
"It's a lot easier to play those than watch them," she added. "Ask my parents."
Swisshelm Than, speaking of Erickson, Swisshelm said: "She's something special. She is totally calm. She keeps us believing in us the whole way."
In the other two women's games Sunday, Norway beat Denmark, 9-4; and Japan won its first game of the Olympics, beating Russia, 7-6.
In men's play Sunday evening, Finland defeated the United States, 6-4, dashing the Americans' hope for a medal. Also, Great Britain downed France, 7-3.
In other men's games Sunday morning, Canada beat Norway, 9-4; Switzerland defeated France, 7-3; and Sweden edged Germany, 5-4.
Sweden's Sunday victory put the team into semifinals, with a tie for second-place with Norway. Speaking of Sunday's victory, Sweden's skip Peja Lindholm said: "Obviously, it was very important because we are in the semis, but I never knew that. I just knew it was an important game."
E-MAIL: julied@desnews.com
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February 18, 2002
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