PERSINGER/PLYS WIN 2022 U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS FOR MIXED DOUBLES CURLING
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In the final game of the 2022 U.S. Olympic Trials for Mixed Doubles Curling, the team of Vicky Persinger and Chris Plys faced Jamie Sinclair and Rich Ruohonen.
Persinger/Plys opened with hammer, as the team had the highest seed heading into the playoff round of the tournament.
Sinclair/Ruohonen successfully forced Persinger/Plys to a single point in the first end after Persinger/Plys’ runback attempt to score a multiple did not curl enough to earn a second counter.
Sinclair/Ruohonen sat counting two before the final stone of the second end but were unable to catch enough of the side of the button to score a third counter. Sinclair/Ruohonen’s two points put them ahead 2-1.
In the third end, Persinger/Plys sat counting two points surrounded by a bundle of Sinclair/Ruohonen stones. With no path to the button to add a third point to the board, Persinger/Plys avoided any potential danger by throwing their final stone away to take their two, putting them ahead 3-2.
Sinclair/Ruohonen were forced to limit the damage of the three Persinger/Plys counters in the fourth end. A double takeout by Jamie Sinclair removed two Persinger/Plys stones from play, resulting in only a steal of a single by Persinger/Plys to move ahead 4-2.
“It’s a good momentum swing for us and we’ll take it,” said Vicky Persinger regarding the team’s steal in the fourth end. “It’s good, especially going into the break. Making one and leaving the ice being two up is pretty good.”
Sinclair/Ruohonen seemed limited to two points in the fifth end, until Persinger/Plys’ final stone tapped one of Sinclair/Ruohnen’s counters onto the button and opened Sinclair/Ruohnen’s path to the scoring area. Sinclair/Ruohnen followed Persinger/Plys’ mishap with a draw for three and a 5-4 lead.
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Persinger/Plys scored two points by making a draw that needed to be fully in the 12-foot in the sixth end, regaining the lead and moving the score to 6-5.
Sinclair/Ruohonen elected to use their power play in the seventh end, but a light draw attempt to keep a chance at two points alive ended up costing the duo a multiple score and resulted in a hit and stick for a single point and an even 6-6 score.
Two Sinclair/Ruohonen rocks sat corner frozen on the button when Vicky Persinger got in the hack to throw the final stone of the game. Persinger/Plys successfully removed Sinclair/Ruohonen’s rocks from the house, securing their single point and the 2022 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Mixed Doubles Curling victory.
Vicky Persinger and Chris Plys will advance to the Mixed Doubles Olympic Qualification Event 2021 on Dec. 5-9, 2021, in Leeuwarden, Netherlands, where the duo will aim to finish within the top two of the field of 14 to qualify for the 2022 Games in Beijing, China.
USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, Toyota, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Brakebush, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), and Sitrin, and is partnered with IHG, Rock Solid Productions Inc., Laurie Artiss Ltd. – The Pin People, and United Airlines.
