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Czech Republic - Sweden, women (juniors - at Petra's request)

The Swedes have the advantage. We started with a guard and the Swedes did a great job. We played freeze, but we're on three. The Swedes go around again and they're somewhere on four. Klara is playing number one in this game, so Eva is on two. She's playing 9.5 runback and it's working out. The Swedes go around again - I guess that's their tactic - we go out and we have two stones in front of the opponent one better behind them. After the Swedish take out there's a double for us and Zuzka goes for it. We've slept a bit on the throw, so it's only one. The Swedes play a brilliant roll and have two stones behind center guard. We're playing angle raise. Nice stone, but ours is loose and rollable, but the Swede rolls out. Center guard at the two, Swedish at the four and a tight corner guard on the right. Iveta plays a beautiful come around and the northerners consider a runback. Mc Manus accidentally knocks out our rock in the circle and we have to do the same. Ivetoooo, we just squeeze the stone past and we are invisible from the thrower's point of view.Mc Manus plays a draw to four feet. It's long and we have one.

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2nd end: Very offensive start with a double guard,come around and three freebies. After a clear by the Swedes comes our error and then an inaccurate Swedish stone. Two of ours (yellow) in the circles, the best Swedish one and one more on four. We play take out, probably even if for a double. Zuzka hits one and we stay in the rings, the Swedes also hit one and not much has changed. Mabergs will play a double in the middle of the rings. She hits one but stays, still threatening number. Iveta plays a roll and we have two stones in four feet, no guards, and a third better on the side. Double attempt by the Swedes fails, it's a roll out and we'll throw third better. Iveta's great and the Swede knocks out one of ours, it's not enough and we have one. It's a little bit of a nervous situation around the Swedish substitution.

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3rd end: Two players bleed from the nose and the game is suspended. The Czechs resume with three players and we wait to see if Iveta can pull herself together. Two guards and one red on the side so far. The Swede has recovered and continues, Iveta hasn't yet. The Swedes are playing better now and we have to play a heavy freeze. Eva played well. The Swedes put another one in the circle and we play come around - nice offensive from both teams!!! Nice stone. We're better but we're half visible. The Swedes have opened up the situation and we go to a guard or stone to start the circles. We're a little confused right now. Iveta is still lying down and she's not ok yet. We'll have to decide what to do next. We've scoring another end and we're writing another one. The girls are playing three.rn

4th end. The second stone is center guard and the Swedes don't go in again. Clara with the third stone goes in and the Reds have to clear. After their attempt there is one yellow and three scattered guards in the circles. We guard ours, but a little bit is visible. The Swedes roll for that bit behind the guard. We make a mistake and the Swedes are already there for two and playing. After a red guard we play an accurate take out, but we light the stone almost in the rings, but the Swedes regain the situation and after a failed angle raise they match the three. Too bad, a good ending, but full of confusion.

rn

5th end: Iveta is back but it doesn't look quite right. Not bad play, we have a corner guard, but the Swedes are going after him. Now we have two worse stones in the circles and we'll see how the angles and roll opportunities develop. After a couple of stones there's a corner guard and another corner guard on the same side. Reds play a draw on the other side of the circle so we don't roll. We counter stay and hope that the Swedes roll out and we can go to that two. Iveta with a tissue up her nose goes to play hit and stay or roll. I hope it works. Even with the paper up her nose, Iveta plays a perfect roll and the Swedes have to get our rock out. They make a mistake and Iveta makes it two!rn

6th end: We go into the second half with Iveta, but in economy mode - no, or almost no, sweeps. Our first stone is almost a corner guard, and red goes around it successfully. we freeze and the opponent goes the other way. Unfortunately we miss the take out and now we'll have to double to get out of it. We've only given up one and the opponent is behind three in the circles after knocking out our stone. There's a double again, but we play a stay or a little roll in. It comes out about halfway. The Swedes have a deuce and we play a freeze to a better red stone in the back circles. so we're better now, but we're a bit overswept. After the Swedes take out, we play freeze to red again. We're shorter but in a good position. The Swedes take a time-out. We also take a time-out. The end finally ends with a red one after the Swedes' four-footer. Photo 1

rn

7th end. Guard of Swedes, ours in the front crises, two reds just off the tee and our freeze near them, plus one of ours in the back. It's a long way from us on the other side, but the stones are piling up around four feet and it's not clear what will come of it yet. We add another freeze to a booming and growing situation. The Swedes are playing guard and probably have a one in the circles because they are guiding the whole situation. we try a tap back, but it's a bit too much for us and the Swedes have opened up an opportunity for a little roll that would help them a lot. They play it well, but we play it even better, ejecting both Swedes, and there's a three. The Norse could have rolled again, but they over-rolled and we're at one and playing the second stone of the Ivette. An accurate finish makes it our two. We're up 7-4 going into the eighth end.rn

8th end: We in the ring at six, the Swedes corner guard and we second to the ring. Eva's attempt to clear fails, but the Swedes play a sloppy, non-salty take out. The development is slightly crazy now. There's guards and one of ours is just biting the circle at the back. We play clear, but take out the red, which the opponent has placed there. Three stones to end the endgame - reds one in the circles and going in with the other, but they are long. We have second service on the same stone. We slide it out tightly and red loses the last stone. Really furious!!!

rn

9th end: Clara - draw to six. Mabergs - corner guard. Clara - second draw this time on four. Mabergs - corner again, on the other side, of course. Eva plays a precise clear. Stener - guard again. Eva surgically removes another corner guard from the game. Sterer - freeze again. I'm going a little crazy, of course guard. Zuzka - successful clear. Huhta playing come around, and she's doing a great job. Zuzka unerringly kicks out of a better block. Huhta again around, it's longer, but still second in rings. Iveta plays a come around freeze, but we're behind the back line. Mc Manus is thinking about what to do next. Our better one comes out and it's a stay. We're doing the same and Sara's going to play stay on the Swedish two. She hits it close and we go into the last end one better with the advantage.

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10th end: After a red guard, our come around and red almost freeze. We play the come again and the Swedes will play the freeze. It's a slight shift, a little uncomfortable for us because we have one stone already just behind the teeline. we shoot center guard, and flawlessly. we also remove the other center guard. There are two of our better ones, two Swedish ones in front of them, and now a new center guard. Another peel and six stones to go. There's another center guard and maybe a moment to think about what's next. We play clear and well again. Now the Swedes have to play something else. It's a tap back attempt, but it doesn't quite work. We have a meeting and play a freeze to the front pocket. That's going well and we're waiting to see what the Swedes do. But they play a stone that has no chance, and so we already know we have won. That's right!!! Another win, and a very valuable one. photo: situation before the last stone of the Swedes. photo 2