The dream of gold may have slipped away on the ice in Cortina d’Ampezzo, but the history books remain open for the United States women’s curling team. Following a tough semifinal loss to Switzerland on Friday, Team USA faces a quick turnaround and a familiar foe—Canada—in a high-stakes battle for the bronze medal. This isn’t just another consolation game; it represents the squad’s final chance to secure the first-ever Olympic medal for the American women’s program.
The Road to the Bronze Battle
Led by skip Tabitha Peterson, the U.S. team has already shattered expectations at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. By reaching the semifinals, they achieved a feat not seen since the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. However, Friday’s match against Switzerland proved difficult. Swiss standout Alina Pätz delivered a masterclass in precision, shooting near-perfect percentages to hand the U.S. a 7-4 defeat.
Despite the loss, the Americans have proven resilient. Their upcoming opponent, Canada (Team Homan), is a curling powerhouse, yet the U.S. holds a psychological edge going into Saturday’s match. Earlier in the round-robin stage, Peterson’s rink pulled off a thrilling 9-8 victory over Canada—marking the first time in Olympic history that the U.S. women defeated their northern neighbors.
Key Matchup: Peterson vs. Homan
The bronze medal game features a clash of styles and nerves.
Team USA: relies on the chemistry of the Peterson sisters (Tabitha and lead Tara) and the clutch shot-making of vice-skip Cory Thiesse.
Team Canada: led by Rachel Homan, is looking to salvage a medal after a surprisingly rocky tournament start and a semifinal loss to Sweden.
The Impact
A win on Saturday would be monumental for U.S. curling, mirroring the surge in popularity the sport saw following the men’s gold medal run in 2018. Securing bronze would validate years of program development and inspire a new wave of curlers across the States. For Tabitha Peterson and her team, the goal is simple: leave Italy with hardware and change the narrative of American women’s curling forever.
Leave a Reply