(by Jean Mills) Team Canada’s Rachel Homan kept the pressure on Sweden’s Margaretha Sigfridsson, but just couldn’t break the game open, losing 8-4 on Tuesday night at the Volvo Sports Centre in Riga, Latvia.
Homan and her Ottawa team – Emma Miskew, Alison Kreviazuk and Lisa Weagle, with alternate Stephanie LeDrew and coach Earl Morris – pressed their opponents every end, thanks to tremendous rock placement by Canadian front end, Weagle and Kreviazuk.
Team Canada lead Lisa Weagle (Photo WCF/Richard Gray)
It was a frustrating game for Homan, who controlled the play and had opportunities, but just couldn’t make the big final shots to score multiple points. Swedish fourth Maria Prizt – skip Sigfridsson throws lead rocks and calls the game – was able to keep up with the Canadians, finding a way to score even when the advantage was all in Homan’s favour.
It started in the first end, when Homan had an opportunity to score four but, instead, gave up a steal of one when her final take-out wrecked on a guard.
Again in the fourth, Homan applied the pressure, filling the front of the four-foot with Canadian rocks and just missing an attempt to bump Sweden off the button. Prytz tried the in-off for two but was able to score only a single.
After the break, tied 2-2, Canada continued to press, but Pritz hung on, stealing a point in the seventh end by drawing back button and forcing Homan to attempt a difficult long raise take-out.
Tied 4-4 after nine, without hammer, Canada set up for the steal, but Pritz made the take-out to score four for the win.
The loss leaves Canada with a 4-3 record, tied for fourth place in the standings with Japan, U.S.A. and Switzerland. Sweden and Scotland are tied at the top of the standings with 6-1 records, and Russia is right behind at 5-2.
The Titlis Glacier Mountain World Women’s Curling Championship 2013, presented by Ford Motor Company of Canada, continues on Wednesday when Team Canada meets Germany’s Andrea Schoepp (3-3) at 2:30 a.m. and Switzerland’s Silvana Tirinzoni at 12:30 p.m. (all times EDT).
All of Team Canada’s games are being broadcast by TSN/RDS, the official broadcast partner of the Season of Champions.
Event news, live scores and galleries can be found on the event website: http://wwcc2013.curlingevents.com