Team USA picked up their third win of the 2022 Winter Olympics with a 7-5 victory over China Saturday.
Leading by two in the eighth end, the U.S. lied two in the house, forcing China to concede to their final rock and give Team USA the victory.
The American duo of Vicky Persinger and Chris Plys took advantage of having first hammer by scoring two points in the opening end.
China had a chance to tie or take the lead in the second, but missed a tap-in on the hammer throw, forcing the team to settle for just a single point.
A perfect throw by SuYuan Fan met with the end-to-end sweeping of Ling Yu helped China get a double takeout to score two and tie the score at 3-3 at the halfway point.
But the U.S. got three right back in the fifth. Plys sets up the score with a double takeout on the third stone, followed by another takeout and stick on the button. Fan’s throw on the final stone for China hit the guard, setting up an easy shot into the 4-foot ring for Persinger that put Team USA up 6-3.
Trailing by one in the seventh, China again made a mistake by hitting the guard on a draw shot. The miscue set up a possible three point end by Team USA, but Persinger was unable to connect on a double, and the U.S. settled for just one heading into the final end.
The U.S. (3-2) will next face off against Canada, the defending Olympic gold medalists, at 7:05 a.m. EST Saturday morning.
China will also play on Saturday morning against Great Britain.
