U.S. Curling Mixed Doubles Back in the Win Column. Poor Execution From Estonia Late

Team USA helped with poor hammer throws on the last two ends by Estonia

Cortina Bay, ITA- The U.S. Curling Mixed Doubles team of Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin took on a difficult Estonian side of Marie Kaldvee and Harri Lill, as they needed a big win to get back on track to make a top-four finish at an attempt to reach the Semi-Finals with two matches remaining. After a tight first six ends, it was the last two that put the USA ahead and secured a win, with errors by Estonia, to take the match at the final score of five to three.

Overview

A single point scored on all ends. Both sides were on their game, and the Cory’s were trying to right the ship after a horrible third day of round robin play, being edged by Great Britain and falling apart against a winless South Korea. While Estonia was a tough team to face, the USA did take on the challenge and got the victory they needed to stay on the path toward the Semi-Finals.

Korey Dropkin had a fantastic match as he swept the Curling Sheet like never before. Down a point after the first end, Dropkin on the hammer saw his stone curling slowly toward the top of the four-foot circle, and when it looked like it might have stopped short, it just curled inside and tied the score at one. After the point was secured, Dropkin gave a big shout and showed his excitement on the floor.

No matter who had the hammer last, both sides were being stingy and defending their points wherever they could get it. After six ends, it was tied at three. At the start of the seventh end, Estonia used its power play to reposition the opening stones. Dropkin once again showed his power sweeping ability to will the fourth stone to glide perfectly into the button and positioned Team USA to steal a point.

After Estonia attempted to clear the house, but they took out their own stone and missed the USA’s The Cory’s set up a guard just inside the 12-foot circle, waiting to see how Estonia was going to use their hammer. When they sent it down the ice, it missed both the guard and the stone inside the button to give the USA the four-to-three lead inside the seventh end.

Estonia and the USA were jockeying for position with multiple guards after the USA opened with its first stone at the top of the button. Team USA had their fifth stone set up as a high guard just above the house, and that moment for Estonia to use the hammer to clear the house to either tie the match and go to an extra end, or take two points and win the match. Once again, a hard throw of the hammer completely missed two USA stones, and the team of Thiesse and Dropkin survived and returned to the win column, breaking the two-match losing streak.

You could tell Team USA needed that victory badly, and now their path to the Semi-Finals is a little bit clearer. Their next match is against Sweden, who will also be another tough opponent. But if they fall in that match, their last round robin match on Monday against host nation Italy will be their last chance to qualify for the Semi-Finals.

Olympic Curling News:

• U.S. Curling Mixed Doubles force an extra end, but still Falls to South Korea
• U.S. Curling Mixed Doubles Team Falls to Great Britain after a Tight Contested Match
• U.S. Curling mixed doubles easily defeats Czechia to go four straight in Round Robin play

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