Team Canada falls to the United States in a back-and-forth game at the women’s worlds
Canada found a spark in the second half but was unable to claim a second win at the 2023 LGT World Women’s Curling Championship, presented by New Holland, on Sunday morning.
Team Canada’s Kerri Einarson (1-1) lost to Team USA’s Tabitha Peterson (1-1) in the rematch of the bronze medal match at the 2022 Pancontinental Curling Championships, the event that determined the teams that would qualify for worlds in the newly formed Pancontinental zone.
Tied at seven apiece, the Americans sealed the deal in the 10th end with a long straight back boost to score one and claim an 8-7 victory.
Skip Einarson, vice-skip Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard, lead Briane Harris, alternate Krysten Karwacki, coach Reid Carruthers and national coach Renée Sonnenberg looked in prime position to steal the win in the final end at Goeransson Arena after making a hit-and -roll to cover the hole behind the cover and with the base.
But Team Peterson clinched the win away from Canada with a brave long drive to beat Canada’s counter.
“I thought we were close, but she’s going to have a chance either way,” Einarson said of her team’s final shot. “Maybe if [my shot] she didn’t turn too much, it could have been better, but then she would just tap. She made a good shot, and at least we made her throw it.”
The United States started the game with downhill momentum thanks to a near-perfect game by Skip Peterson. The Americans opened the first end with a score of one and stole a point each in the second and third ends. Tim Einarson was always in contention in the first half, and the Canadians statistically outscored the Americans in leading third downs. The team from the Gimli Curling Club in Manitoba scored in the fourth end on a two-run shot that was narrowly cleared by the center back en route to the score.
American vaulter Peterson had just one missed shot in the first half of the game, which came on her team’s final shot in the fifth. After Tim Einarson hit a clutch layup to put one behind the cover, the Americans made a high-flying attempt to score. Peterson’s throw hit the target and Canada made it three apiece at the halfway point.
“Tabitha was getting them out of trouble and we also didn’t capitalize on the opportunities we had. I had a lot of hard shots and I was on the wrong side of an inch,” Einarson said.
The tides turned in Canada’s favor during the second half as Tim Einarson made a crucial shot in the seventh end to score three and take the first lead in the North American battle. Canada took advantage of some misses, including a key error when Tim Peterson threw his first skip stone. Einarson made two of her most important shots in the final. First, a twist behind the center backs to sit two, followed by a control weight to achieve a three.
However, the United States came back with three points in the eighth to regain the lead. Canada tacked on its only run in the ninth with a tap to tie the game.
Canada still sits comfortably in mid-table after opening the round with a 1-1 win against Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg on Saturday. Canada aims to be tougher later today when they take on Norway’s Marianne Roervik (1-0) at 2:00 PM ET.
“The ice was different than yesterday and bent a lot more. We have to believe in what we see there,” said Einarson.
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TSN/RDS2, the official broadcast partners of the Canadian Curling Championship season, will provide live coverage of Canada’s round robin games and all playoff games. CLICK HERE for their complete broadcast schedule.
A list of teams, schedule information and live scores can be found on the event website.
A French version of this story will be published as soon as possible on www.curling.ca/?lang=fr
