U.S. Curling Mixed Doubles Team Falls to Great Britain after a Tight Contested Match

Team USA suffers its first loss in Mixed Doubles Curling

Cortina Bay, ITA- On the third day of Mixed Doubles action, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin of the USA took on the best team in mixed doubles curling of Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat of Great Britain. Both sides were displaying some solid chances inside the first five ends, but Great Britain placed their stones well and edged the Duluth, Minnesota natives six to four

Overview

Great Britain began with a three point to nothing lead after two ends. In the third and fifth ends, Team USA needed the umpire for a measurement to make sure they were able to get the proper score to take the lead. While they were able to get a point, their second stone was not closer to the button against Great Britain’s on the four-foot circle in the third end. On the fifth end, the Cory’s thought they had four stones and wanted to make sure it was possible.

While the umpire brought out the measurement device for the second time in this match, three points were already given, but the fourth point wasn’t, as the Great Britain Stone was just slightly closer than the fourth US stone. While GBR did have a point in the fourth end in between, this match was such a battle between the two teams.

But in the final three ends, Great Britain took the lead, as the USA minimized the damage in the 6th end, couldn’t get the stones to curl, and misplayed the throw in the 7th end. By the 8th end, disaster struck as Korey Dropkin overthrew the first stone and missed the target. The second stone didn’t curl at all, the third stone was put in a great position, but on the fourth stone, a horrible miss of not knocking out all of their opponents’ stones inside the button, and then conceded the match as GBR’s last stone was a guard for their hammer.

While this was a bit of a letdown, Thiesse and Dropkin have nothing to be ashamed of. They are currently four and one and are still in good shape to finish in the top four for a possible medal challenge. Even though Great Britain had a day early to begin the Mixed Doubles, they are currently seven to zero and leading the entire field. But a slight hiccup for the Cory’s and now they must get ready for South Korea.

Olympic Curling News:

• U.S. Curling mixed doubles easily defeats Czechia to go four straight in Round Robin play
• U.S. Curling Mixed Doubles Team with a Big Three Pointer late upsets Canada
• U.S. Curling Mixed Doubles Takes Advantage of Poor Game Plan from the Swiss

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