FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 25, 2008

USA finishes Tuesday 0-2 at 2008 World Women's Championship

(VERNON, British Columbia) - Tuesday at the 2008 Ford World Women's Championship is not one the USA women would like to relive as they dropped both matches today to fall to 4-3 in the round robin standings at the Greater Vernon Multiplex.

A lack of confidence by Debbie McCormick's American team in the second half squelched the fire they had under them after watching an early 6-1 lead dissipate into a 10-9 loss to Canada's Jennifer Jones rink. "We played a really strong first half and were really decisive," vice skip Allison Pottinger said. "I don't know if we were thinking 'Let's not blow this' but we definitely were more tense and not as decisive. You could see in Deb's body language she was tense and not as confident."

McCormick (Rio, Wis.) and Pottinger (Eden Prairie, Minn.) along with Nicole Joraanstad (Madison, Wis.) and Tracy Sachtjen (Lodi, Wis.) doubled their point total from the afternoon match with China (a 10-1 loss) with a deuce to open up the game. Jones came in too deep trying to draw a piece of the button for two in the second end.

McCormick attempted a tough tapback for two in third end but couldn't get enough of it to earn more than a single to go ahead 3-1. Canada stunk up the fourth end with the last three out of four shots missed - the last being Jones's side angle raise attempt that resulted in a steal of three for the U.S.

Jones, however, got over it quickly as they finally got the crowd of 2,024 mostly Canadian fans on its feet with a draw for three to cut the deficit to 6-4 at the halfway point.

The Americans had a good end set up in the sixth when Jones missed a double takeout but McCormick accidentally cleared the house with her first toss and narrowly escaped with a single after a measurement when her draw slipped deeper than planned.

The seventh end turned in favor of the Canadians when Pottinger pushed a Canadian stone into the four foot during a double takeout attempt. Canadian vice skip Cathy Overton-Clapham then drew into the four foot behind the center guard to heat things up for the Canadians. McCormick removed one but it didn't do her any good as her stone still sat in third count. Jones set up a double takeout but McCormick only removed one giving Jones a draw for three to tie the game 7-7.

"I thought we really battled back to get that three, and we'll use that momentum going into tomorrow," Jones said. Her Canadian team improves to 6-1, good enough for second place behind China at 7-0.

The Canadians would take their first lead in the eighth end when Jones placed her final stone touching part of the button with another one in the four-foot. McCormick removed the one on the button but her shooter rolled just a hair too far giving Canada one point.

The U.S. got a good end set up in the ninth when Pottinger made a delicate tap around center guards with her first stone to remove the Canadian stone touching the button. Jones would chip it out leaving the U.S. with one stone in scoring position. McCormick followed her in for second count and Jones left her second stone short giving McCormick a chance at three. She'd come up light trying to curl around rocks on the top of the house, regaining a slim and short-lived lead.

The U.S. looked poised to force Jones to a single point in the 10th end until McCormick opened up the four foot giving Jones a draw for two for the win.

"We were hoping to have a two-win day but to go one-two at the very least," Pottinger said. "Three losses is disappointing, but it won't kill us. Every game here is important ... and we know we have a tough one coming up with Switzerland. We can't afford another loss or we'll be looking at tiebreakers."

The U.S. ladies hope to get back on track as they take on the Czech Republic (0-7) in tomorrow morning's 8:30 PT match-up.

Game scores: Canada 10, USA 9; Germany 5, Italy 3; Denmark 9, Switzerland 7; Japan 5, Czech Republic 4

USA line score:
USA* 201 301 002 0 9
Canada 010 030 310 2 10
*last stone in first end

Standings:
China 7-0
Canada 6-1
Switzerland 5-2
Denmark 5-2
Germany 4-3
Japan 4-3
USA 4-3
Sweden 3-4
Russia 2-5
Italy 1-6
Scotland 1-6
Czech Republic 0-7

USA Curling is sponsored by AIT Worldwide Logistics, AmerAust Technologies and Nike.

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For more information: Terry Kolesar, USA Curling, terry.kolesar@usacurl.org, 715-344-1199, Ext. 202, or 608-338-9900 (cell).