Team USA's mixed curling team, which split its first two games on Wednesday, appeared in control of its third game of the 2022 Winter Olympics, taking a 6-3 lead into the sixth end against Norway.
The Norwegian team then called its power play and never looked back, sweeping eight straight points in the final three ends to hand the Americans their second loss in Beijing.
After falling to Italy in the set before, Team USA's mixed curling team of Christopher Plys and Vicky Persinger traded points with Norway through the first few ends Thursday, but with a pair of excellent shots in the fifth end — including a single throw that cleared three of Norway's stones from the house — leaped out to the 6-3 lead.
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In the sixth end, and with the hammer, Norway called their power play, allowing the pair of Kristin Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten to clear the starting stones from their place in the middle. They executed on their call, landing three stones closest to the button to tie the game.
Plys and Persinger followed up with a power play of their own in the seventh end, but couldn't manage to lock down the middle. Norway managed to keep three of its yellow rocks in the house — though outside the 4-foot — as the U.S. reached its hammer throw, and a chance to at least go back up by a point.
Instead, the U.S. throw came out heavy, sailing through the house and giving Norway a surprise three-rock advantage heading to the final end. They secured another two points in the last, finishing with an 11-6 win over Team USA.
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Next up for Team USA is a matchup against Sweden on Friday, Feb. 4.
