OGDEN — Being an Olympic alternate has got to be the ultimate test of patience. You're an Olympic athlete, but you don't get to play. You might think an alternate would have chewed her fingernails off by the time it's over.
Not so Joni Cotten. "I'm here to be there for the girls," the alternate for the U.S. women's curling team said. "As a foursome, they earned the right to play as a team."
But Cotten got her chance Saturday morning. With Team USA leading the Russian Federation 8-2 at the start of the eighth end, several spectators started chanting, "We want Joni!"
When Cotten stepped on the ice for her first delivery of these Winter Games, she got the loudest reception yet.
"It was quite interesting," said a smiling Cotten after the draw, during which the Americans pounded the Russians 11-4. "You can hear (the cheers) very well. I'm thrilled as can be."
The victory was huge for the Americans, who had lost three straight before having a much-needed day off. "The wheels are back on the bus big time," said U.S. lead Ann Swisshelm.
But perhaps their biggest test came Saturday evening against the Germans. A victory would put them into a tie for fourth place with Team Germany. And in a heart-stopper, Team USA squeaked past Germany, 7-6, in what came down to the last rock. German skip Natalie Nessler came up short in tapping out the lone American stone sitting on the button.
"This is big. We knew coming in (to Saturday's draws) we had to win both games," said skip Kari Erickson. "It feels really good to pull off this close one."
In other women's draws Saturday morning, Canada virtually sealed its spot in the semifinals Wednesday with a 9-4 win over last-place Japan, while Great Britain beat Denmark, 8-6; and Germany downed Sweden, 7-5.
Canadian skip Kelley Law said afterward she had no expectations her team would be 7-0 at this point.
"We hoped to finish 7-2, or 8-1," she said, then added, speaking of Canadian curler Sandra Schmirler, who won the first women's gold medal in curling in Nagano and who has since died from cancer, "We talk a lot about Sandra. Carrying on the legacy would be nice."
Great Britain beat Denmark 8-6, and Germany downed Sweden 7-5.
In other evening women's play, Canada beat Denmark, 9-4; Sweden needed extra ends to nip Switzerland, 8-7; and Norway defeated Japan, 8-5.
In afternoon men's competition, Team USA lost to Denmark, 9-7; Switzerland whipped Great Britain, 10-4; Sweden clobbered Finland, 11-4; and Norway doubled up Germany, 10-5.
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