Team Muirhead bounces back to stun Sweden
Team Muirhead bounced back from a 6-5 loss in their opening match against Switzerland by beating the defending Olympic champions Sweden 8-2 on the first day of the ladies’ curling.
Skip Eve Muirhead had the chance to get her campaign off to a perfect start with her last stone against world champions Switzerland, but the flag bearer of the opening ceremony threw in an extra end to this morning’s session.
But she, along with Jennifer Dodds, Vicky Wright and Hailey Duff, returned with boldness to easily manage to defend the Olympic champions in Sweden, and their opponents dropped by 8-2 after only seven finishes.
Team Muirhead are relatively inexperienced but showed why they have won every competition they have played along with a phenomenal show during the evening session.
And Muirhead, who carried the Team GB flag at the opening ceremony of her fourth Olympic Winter Games, was pleased with the performance from her inexperienced rink.
“I think it just shows what a team we can be.
“This morning I felt that we played well but maybe just missed a few shots here and there and needed to sharpen up to beat Sweden and I think we did that and more.
“So we’ve really put a pretty high marker on ourselves but I really think we can keep it because we’ve been doing it all season.
“For three of the girls, it was the first time they stepped on the ice at the Olympic Games today and we forget that.
“I could not have asked for more from the girls. The team played fantastic, the communication was good, the support was great and I am very proud of the girls.”
Muirhead’s rink consisted of three Olympic debutants – Vicky Wright, Hailey Duff and Jen Dodds, who had to refocus after losing the mixed doubles curling bronze medal match along with men’s mare Bruce Mouat on Tuesday.
They showed great character to shake off the narrow hill to the Swiss and Muirhead in particular showed no negative effects and took a firm grip on the Swedish game after landing four shots in the fourth end.
She said: “It is not often you take a four-player against Sweden. We played a very clinical finish with fantastic stone placement.
I feel both proud and privileged to have been asked to be the flag bearer at this my fourth Olympics. It’s such an honor and something I’ve been dreaming of since I was a little girl. I know @TeamGB will make us all proud of these games. Can’t wait to get started! pic.twitter.com/HFx7VWm4TK
– Eve Muirhead MBE (@evemuirhead) February 3, 2022
“We put a lot of pressure on them and forced mistakes out of them and jumped on them right away.
“As much as it was a four, it is not the end of the match. I think if you look at the latest ends as well, they were very good for forcing Sweden to one.
bounces back 🙌@Team_Muirhead deliver a win against Sweden in match 2 🥌#TeamGB | # Beijing2022 pic.twitter.com/HW5vHkbayU
– Team GB (@TeamGB) February 10, 2022
“And the very last end, we managed to get a second by keeping it very simple.”
However, Muirhead does not move with a clinical display ahead of tomorrow’s match against South Korea, despite the fact that she believes defeating the 2018 gold medalists will make all their rivals sit up and notice.
She added: “I think it sends a big message but I also think we just need to be pretty relaxed and keep going.
“I do not want to put any pressure on ourselves or go before ourselves, we are still on day one of action here.
“We will enjoy that victory, but when we wake up in the morning we know it’s a whole new day and we’re kind of back to square one.”