U.S. mixed doubles curling team struggling to get on the same page

BEIJING – The mixed doubles curling team of Vicky Persinger and Chris Plys spent the weekend trying to figure out why they have been unable to play a complete match during round robin play.

"It seems like one of us is firing," said Plys, from Duluth. "And one of us has some shots they'd like to have back."

Sort things out, and they are a dangerous team the rest of round robin play. More of the same, and they will be headed home wondering what could have been.

It looks like the latter might be where they end up after losing 7-3 Saturday night to a top Canada side, then following that Sunday by dropping a 10-8 match to a Czech Republic team that had a worse record than they did going in.

Their shot-making skills have been a little erratic, and it cost them Saturday night against Canada's Rachel Homan and John Morris. Morris is attempting to win back-to-back mixed doubles gold medals and become the first curler in Olympic history to medal three times.

Against a team like Canada, weaknesses will be exposed. Like when the Twins play the Yankees.

The match was tied at 2-2 through four ends. Persinger was locked in, making 91% of her shots. The fifth end came down to a measurement, which Canada won to earn a point. Canada then took a 4-2 lead after six in what was a pivotal end. Persinger had the hammer and tried working a shot in from right to left but it clipped the guard along the way and missed its mark. A little bit to the right and the match would have been tied.

"I threw to make it," said Persinger, from Fairbanks, Alaska. "I didn't want to be chicken. I've got to make it close to the guard to have a shot and that's what I did. Unfortunately, I was half an inch too close."

Canada put the match away in the seventh with three points as Team USA was forced to get aggressive. It was a risky move with the savvy Morris on the other end, but they had little choice.

"In terms that everyone will understand," Plys said, "We were low on chips and had to push all in."

They had a short night rest, and no time to dwell on thier missed chances, before heading back to the National Aquatics Center for a Sunday morning match. The arena is where Michael Phelps won eight gold medals in 2008, but has been converted to a curling facility and nicknamed the "Ice Cube" for these Olympics. At night, the stadium is lit up in an array of colors.

Sunday's match against the 2-4 Czechs was back and forth, then was tied 7-7 heading into the seventh end. Team USA had the hammer and two points in its grasp when Plys put a little too much on his final shot and watched it get swept away. Team USA picked up a point to lead 8-7 but needed to play defense in the final end. The Czech Republic responded with three points to win the match.

It was a crushing loss to a beatable Czech team.

Team USA started 1-2 before rallying to go 3-2 entering the Canada match. It began its journey with a 6-5 win over Olympic neophytes Australia — who were coached by Morris before he was appointed to the mixed doubles team. Then the USA lost 8-4 to a surprising Italy side that remains undefeated, and 11-6 to Norway. With everything on the line, Team USA beat a solid Sweden team 8-7 in extras on Friday before taking part in the Opening Ceremony.

Then they downed China 7-5 to move to 3-2. Missed opportunities in that match made it closer than it should have been.

If they win their last two matches, against a beatable Swiss team and medal favorite Great Britain, Persinger and Plys will finish 5-4 in round robin play — with a slim chance of moving on. They had a chance on Sunday to sling their way into the semis but fell a few shots short.

The Ice Cube has not been kind to them.