U.S. MEN TO PLAY FOR BRONZE MEDAL
WCF / STEPHEN FISHER
Team USA (John Shuster, Chris Plys, Matt Hamilton, John Landsteiner, and Colin Hufman) will play Canada for the 2022 Olympic bronze medal in men’s curling.
In the semifinal matchup between the United States and Great Britain, Great Britain started with hammer due to its higher seeding throughout the nine-game, ten-team round robin competition.
After successfully blanking the first end, the second end proved more offensive as both teams threw guards into play. It was the United States that had the optimal stone positioning right before the conclusion of the end, sitting three stones atop the four-foot.
Great Britain’s attempt to draw wide around the pile under curled, resulting in a United States steal of two, making the U.S. first on the scoreboard.
In the third end, Great Britain split the house and a few failed runback and double takeout attempts from the United States allowed a score of three to give Great Britain a one-point advantage.
Team USA finally had it’s first attempt with hammer in the fourth end of the contest when John Shuster stuck a thin lightweight takeout to score a deuce, regaining the lead 4-3.
Great Britain returned the deuce in the fifth end, taking a 5-4 lead, giving Team USA last stone advantage to open the second half.
After blanking the sixth, seventh, and eighth ends, Team USA elected to allow Great Britain a score of one in the ninth end to keep hammer in the tenth.
Trailing by two in the final frame, Team USA was unable to even the score on John Shuster’s runback double takeout attempt with the final stone of the game, resulting in a final score of 8-4.
"We lost to team that played better. That's the long and short of it, can’t sugarcoat it,” said Matt Hamilton. “I just want to go out there and really grind hard for one more game. I know I've given everything I've got to his tournament right now. Sometimes it's enough and sometimes it's not and we were on the wrong side of the inch today. Good luck to Great Britain and Sweden. They're both great competitors and whoever wins will be more than deserving."
For the first time in Olympic history, the United States will play for a second consecutive medal in curling.
"I can sit here and hang my head. I’m proud of this team and proud of what we've been able to do,” added Hamilton. “I'm going to go out and give my all one more time and hopefully we come home with a medal.”
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.
