Olympic Curling: Team Peterson wins again, improves to 3-1 in round robin play

Tabitha Peterson and Co. dropped Japan 7-4 in round robin play, moving the Americans to 3-1 in these Olympics.

That puts the U.S. in a tie with Switzerland for second place, a half game behind undefeated Sweden. The top four teams at the end of round robin play reach the medal rounds.

Team Peterson —which features East Metro sisters Tabitha and Tara Peterson as well as Taylor Anderson-Heide and Cory Thiesse, the latter of whom won a silver in mixed doubles earlier in these Olympics — next plays at 7:30 a.m. Sunday against China. China is 2-1 in round robin play.

Japan led 3-2 through four ends, but the United States responded by scoring a point each in the fifth and sixth frames.

The Americans led 4-3 heading into the eighth end, with Japan possessing the hammer.  But with the U.S. having three stones in scoring position, Japan sailed its final stone through the house to give the Americans a rare three-point steal to effectively seal the match.

Japan mustered only one point in the ninth end, at which point it conceded.

Japan, who’d medaled in each of the previous two Olympics, fell to 1-3 with the loss.