Third time’s the charm for Canada’s Cheryl Bernard.
After failing to draw to the four-foot rings for a point in two previous ends, the Canadian skip made good in the 11th end, scoring the final point to win 6-5 over Germany. Canada’s record is now a perfect 3-0, tying Sweden atop the leaderboard in the curling round robin session.
With Germany lying two points, Bernard, with the hammer, calmly drew just past the button for shot rock to seal a victory that should never have gone to extra ends.
In the eighth end and with the hammer, Canada had the perfect chance to score two and make it a commanding 6-2 lead. Already sitting with shot rock, Bernard had a wide open look where all she had to do was draw it practically anywhere in the house, as Germany just had two rocks on the fringes of the outer rings.
Instead, Bernard misjudged the slow speed in the centre of the ice and her rock came up well short of the house. Canada still got the point, but the lost opportunity proved costly.
Team Canada forced Germany to take just a single point in the ninth end to have the ideal situation in the last end: a one-shot lead with the last rock to throw.
German skip Andrea Schoepp and her team played their best in the tenth end, putting all kinds of pressure on Canada. Guarding a rock just in front and to the right of the centre button, Schoepp watched and hoped Bernard would miss another draw opportunity as the last rock approached.
The Germans tied the game and forced the extra end when Bernard failed to sneak around the opposing rock for the winning point.
Canada was in control for the entire match up until the tenth end, using Germany’s lack of finesse to their own advantage. The Germans opted for take outs whenever possible as opposed to putting any pressure on the Canadians with light bumps and guards, a style of play that allowed Bernard to dictate the points seemingly at her will.
In addition to the Canadians control on the ice, the fans in attendance were also clearly on their side, something that frustrated Schoepp. In one end, she had to draw to the button or else Canada would steal three points. The lack of applause on the successful shot had the German skip throw up her arms to the crowd, frustrated with the lack of support.
Other draw 4 matches
Great Britain’s Eve Muirhead won her match over Russia in dominating fashion: 10-3 in just eight ends of work.
Britain jumped out of the gates quickly, scoring twice in the first end and stealing three points in the second to go up 5-0 before Russia could respond. It was Muirhead’s first win after opening the Games with two losses.
China’s Wang Bingju made up for her tournament opening loss by defeating Japan 9-5. China had the lead for the entire match, but Japan kept it close right to the very last end.
After finding herself in a 6-3 hole, Moe Magura of Japan clawed her way back in the eight end by scoring two. Wang stopped any kind of rally by scoring three in the last end.
Debbie McCormick of the United States came close to getting her first win, but instead fall to 0-4 after a 7-6 loss to Denmark. The Americans had a 4-2 lead in the fifth end, but Denmark stormed back by scoring three in the seventh and took control of the match from that point on.