The U.S. women’s curling team felt short of a podium finish for the first time at the Milano Cortina Olympics 2026. The Americans got defeated by Canada in the bronze medal match on Saturday, February 21. The Canadians scored three in the sixth and eighth ends and went on to win in the 10th by a score of 10-7.
In the first end, Team USA got themselves a 1-0 lead, but Canada were quick in their response. The Americans started with the singles record in the first, third and fifth ends that got themselves a 3-2 lead. Canada’s Tara Peterson then sent a shot through the house, but her sister Tabitha, while not making much momentum, was successful in keeping the Canadian stone inside the paint, which added three points to the team score, and they took the lead by 5-3.
Team USA, however, bounced back to tie the score in the seventh end. After Canada’s Rachel Homan threw a great freeze, the Americans split a pair of stones through a draw that knocked off a Canadian rock, giving them a multiple. However, striking back, Homan, who is a three-time world champion, added three points in the eighth end to give Canada the lead at 8-5.
Team USA did not lose hope until the end as Peterson made his final throw in the ninth end that knocked a Canadian stone out of the four-foot and added two points. Still down by a point, the Americans needed a win in the 10th end, but Peterson’s final throw did not go past the Canadians’ guard, giving them the win by 10-7.
Despite their first semi-finals loss, the United States’ performance in the Milano Cortina Games 2026 has been a notable one. Earlier, Cory Thiesse became the first American woman to win a medal in the curling event. She won silver in the mixed doubles.
In the 2026 Winter Games, Team Canada won the bronze through their ace player Homan. Their victory takes one back to the 2002 Games when Canada defeated the U.S. in the bronze-medal game. The same was the case 24 years back in Salt Lake City when the Americans lost to Switzerland in the semifinals.
