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Team curling
By Julie Dockstader Heaps
Deseret News Olympic specialist
OGDEN — The Americans were disappointed. The Canadians were almost devastated. One team is hungry for its country's first medal in the sport. The other team is looking to save some face.
They will meet this morning in the bronze medal round of women's curling. Losses by both teams Wednesday morning sent Switzerland and Great Britain into the gold medal game this afternoon.
Facing Team USA, Switzerland dominated the draw game and stole two points in the seventh end to down skip Kari Erickson's team 9-4. In the other semifinal game, Great Britain carried the momentum of two tie-breaker victories Tuesday to beat number-one seed Canada 6-5 in a stunning last-rock victory.
"We didn't play a great game," Team USA second Stacy Liapis said. "You have to play perfect for days like this."
Team Sweden and Team Switzerland in men's competition might echo the same sentiment after losses to Canada and Norway in semifinal rounds Wednesday afternoon. Canada beat Sweden 6-4, and Norway defeated Switzerland 7-6 in a dramatic come-from-behind extra-end victory to advance to the gold medal game Friday afternoon. Sweden and Switzerland will face off for the bronze Friday morning.
Reflecting on the U.S. women's loss, Erickson admitted she struggled with draw weight in the game. This surprised Swiss skip Luzia Ebnoether.
"In the round robin she had great draws," Ebnoether said of Erickson. "It was our luck that she didn't play as well. It's great to be in the finals. We want the gold medal. We will win the match."
Erickson said her team is now focused on the bronze medal game. "We still have a big game. We still want to get a medal."
Team USA Lead Ann Swisshelm added, answering a reporter's question about how they can increase awareness of their sport in America: "Winning would be very good. I want to win (today), and I want that to be how it's done."
They face a determined Team Canada — where people expect their curlers to bring home the gold. But, as team skip Kelley Law said, "The gold is not there for us, but the bronze is, so we need to refocus."
Focus has been key to Great Britain's overcoming round-robin losses and winning into the finals. Team skip Rhona Martin, who is Scottish, said her team is happy to play under the flag of Great Britain for a gold medal.
"We're here as Great Britain, and that's a much bigger nation. A lot more people are paying attention than just Scottish curlers."
On his victory, Canadian men's skip Kevin Martin said, "That was a big game."
For Martin, who has been to five international competitions and has never won, that's an understatement. Team member Don Bartlett echoes his skip's sentiments. "It's means a lot to all of us (to win the gold)."
On Friday's gold medal round, he added, "We've got to curl well. Usually, when we curl our best, we don't lose."
E-MAIL: julied@desnews.com
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February 21, 2002
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