CurlingZone: Canada falls in the semifinals, will play for bronze at women's worlds

For the second year in a row, Kerri Einarson and Team Canada (Photo: WCF/Jeffery Au) will play for bronze at the world women's curling championship, after the rink fell to Marianne Roervik and Team Norway in the semifinals on Saturday in Sandviken, Sweden.

By: Dylan Chenier

Coming off a close playoff qualification game on Saturday morning, which saw Kerri Einarson's rink defeat Satsuki Fujisawa and Team Japan, the Canadians were able to keep things tight against Marianne Roerkik's Team Norway throughout most of the semifinal. Due to their higher round-robin finishing position, Roervik's started with the hammer, as the team was forced to take one in the first end.

After a blank in the second, Einarson was able to score the first deuce of the game in the third end, putting Canada up 2-1 early on. Norway answered right back in the following end, with fourth rock thrower Kirstin Skaslien making a draw to score three on her final shot. After Einarson was forced to settle for one in the fifth, Norway would re-take the hammer heading into the break, with Roervik's team ahead 4-3.

Canada went on to secure the first stolen point of the game in the sixth end, tying things up at three points apiece. After swapping singles in seven and eighth, Norway took a commanding lead in the ninth with a score of three. Skaslien actually had a shot to score four, with her final throw coming up light, as the rink would take a three-point lead heading into the final end of play.

Norway then went on to run Einarson out of rocks in ten, with Roervik's team taking an 8-5 win. With the victory, the Norwegians now advance to Sunday's championship final, where they will face Silvana Tirinzoni's red-hot Team Switzerland for gold. Tirinzoni picked up her 13th straight win of the tournament in Saturday's second semifinal, as the Swiss defeated hosts Anna Hasselborg and Team Sweden by a score of 8-4.

Norway's last podium finish at women's worlds came back in 2005 when the country took home the bronze medal. With Saturday's semifinal win, Roervik is guaranteed at least a silver medal, but, the team will be hoping to do one better and take home the gold, something Norway hasn't done since 1991.

However, the rink from Oslo will have its hands full against Team Switzerland in the championship final, as Tirinzoni has looked unstoppable all week. The three-time reigning champions will be eager to make it four in a row on Sunday, a feat that has not been accomplished since 1987.

Meanwhile, following Saturday's semifinal loss, Kerri Einarson and Team Canada will contest the bronze medal game on Sunday morning against Sweden. The two rinks last met in Draw 2, with Einarson taking a 9-4 victory. On Sunday, Einarson's rink will be looking to make it two in a row against Hasselborg, as the foursome hopes to take home their second consecutive world championship bronze.

Sunday's bronze medal game is set for 4:00 a.m. ET and will be broadcast live on TSN 1, while the gold medal contest between Norway and Switzerland will go to air on TSN 1, 3, and 5 at 9 a.m. ET.

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