The U.S. women's curling team secured a 6-5 victory over China in a round-robin match at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games. Skip Tara Peterson delivered a crucial draw shot in the 10th end to steal the winning point. The win improves Team USA's record to 4-1.
In Sunday's women's curling round-robin action, the United States trailed China 4-1 at the halfway break but mounted a comeback to claim the victory. Peterson's team tied the score in the ninth end after China's skip Wang Rui's throw hit a guard, leaving the Americans with one point on the button.
Entering the decisive 10th end, Peterson, shooting at 69 percent on draws leading up to that point, executed a precise draw to the button, nestling behind five stones. China's attempt at a runback came up light, allowing the U.S. to steal one for the 6-5 win.
"I mean, I love a good draw to the button," Peterson said after the match. "The fact that even in the 10th end I came up short on my first so I kind of knew the adjustment I needed to make for my second, so it all came together. The girls swept perfectly, Cory (Thiesse) called a perfect line, so it was a good two shots."
Earlier, in the sixth end, Peterson capitalized on China's miss by tapping out their stone for two points, narrowing the gap to one. She added another single in the eighth. The U.S. trailed until the second half, where improved draw speed and energy helped maintain pressure.
China outshot the U.S. slightly, 84-83 percent, and dominated takeouts with 42 to the Americans' 16. This marks Team USA's third straight win, following a strong performance against Japan. Peterson noted, "We just had to stick with it," crediting a halftime team meeting for the turnaround. "We kind of build off every game."
Team USA, featuring Peterson, Tabitha Peterson, Cory Thiesse, and Taylor Anderson-Heide, next faces winless Italy on Monday at 1:05 p.m. ET. China (2-2) will play Canada at 3:05 a.m. ET.
