TEAM PULLI WINS 2022 MIXED (FOURS) NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Team Pulli: (l-r) Caitlin Pulli, Jeff Pulli, Rebecca Andrew, and Jason Scott, won the 2022 Mixed (Fours) National Championship on Apr. 16th at the Rochester Curling Club in Rochester, New York. Photo by Randy Fredlund.
On Apr. 12-17, 2022, the Rochester Curling Club in Rochester, New York, hosted the nation’s top mixed (fours) curling teams for the 2022 U.S. Mixed National Championship.
The regional-based, geographic championship comprised of teams with two men and two women, welcomed eight teams from USA Curling member regions to crown the 2022 champion. In addition to the national title, the winner of the Championship also earns the berth to represent the United States at the World Mixed Curling Championship.
The event began with each team completing an eight-team round robin to determine the top four that would move onto playoffs.
At the conclusion of the round robin, the following four teams advanced to the playoffs:
Dakota Territory: Evan Workin, Rachel Workin, Jordan Brown, Crhistina Lammers
Minnesota: Andy Jukich, Sarah Lehman, Ryan Mellinger, Lexi Lanigan
Grand National: Caitlin Pulli, Jeff Pulli, Rebecca Andrew, Jason Scott
Midwest: Jed Brundidge, Bella Hagenbuch, Cameron Rittenour, Mae Hagenbuch
The playoffs were structured with two semifinal games (1 vs. 4 and 2 vs. 3), where the winners advanced to play for gold and the losers competed for bronze.
At the end of the week, it was the Team Pulli, the hometown squad, who came out on top.
Team Pulli, representing Grand National Curling Club, finished 4-3 at the conclusion of the round robin.
In their opening game, Team Pulli defeated Team Brundidge (Midwest) 8-4 and then found another commanding win in their second game, topping Bret Jackson (Great Lakes) 8-2.
Pulli lost 8-3 against Fred Maxie (Mountain Pacific) but responded in their next two games with wins over Team Workin (Dakota Territory) and Team Roe (Wisonsin).
Concluding the final two games of the round robin with losses to Team Falco (Mid-America) and Team Jukich (Minnesota), Team Pulli’s 4-3 record was enough to clinch a playoff spot.
With the third seed, Team Pulli faced the second seed, Team Jukich, in the semifinal matchup.
In a rematch of their final round robin game, the team based out of Rochester, New York, pulled off an impressive comeback win, stealing one in the final end to secure an 8-7 victory and advance to the Championship final.
On Saturday evening, Team Pulli faced Team Brundidge in what was an exciting gold medal game.
After exchanging deuces in the first two ends, Team Pulli secured another two points that went unanswered, resulting in a 4-3 lead and hammer in the sixth end.
In the sixth, the Pulli-skipped rink scored another two points to extend their lead to 6-3, but Brundidge’s three-point score in the seventh evened the scoreboard at 6-6 going into the final end.
Utilizing last stone advantage in the final end, Team Pulli scored a single point to lock in a 7-6 victory.
With the final end victory, Caitlin Pulli, Jeff Pulli, Rebecca Andrew, and Jason Scott clinched the title, becoming 2022 U.S. Mixed Curling National Champions and earning the berth to represent the United States at the 2022 World Mixed Curling Championship (dates TBA).
USA Curling thanks Rochester Curling Club, volunteers, participants, and everyone involved in making this year’s Championship possible.
USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, Toyota, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Brakebush, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), and Sitrin, and is partnered with IHG, Rock Solid Productions Inc., Laurie Artiss Ltd. – The Pin People.
