Scotland’s women lost their unbeaten record at the Le Gruyere AOL European Curling Championships against Italy this morning, but skip Eve Muirhead promised that they will “come out fighting” as they seek to bounce back immediately.
Starting the match with the hammer they blanked the opening two ends, before conceding a steal of two to their opponents and after being forced at the fourth end, they then lost a four at the fifth to go into the halfway break 6-1 down. 
They battled hard, registering a two at the sixth end then, after forcing the Italians to a single, a three at the eighth after Muirhead executed a superb double take out. However, after Italy nudged further ahead with another single score at the ninth, she narrowly failed to repeat that at the last and was forced to accept an 8-7 loss.
“It was a very very good fight back but didn’t quite manage to get over the line at the end,” said the skip.
“I had a tough shot for the win but unfortunately it didn’t work out.
“We did have quite a few chances in the first half of the game and just didn’t take them and unfortunately that gives us a first loss.”
With three round robin matches remaining, the Scots are still clear at the top of the standings and Muirhead was determined to maintain that position going into the final day.
“We are still in a really good position and we are still playing well so we won’t get too down after that and will just move on,” she said.
“It was a little frustrating and annoying to drop a game like that but they did play very well and we just now need to pull together and come out fighting against the Czech Republic tonight.”
Scotland Team 
Eve Muirhead
Vicky Wright
Jen Dodds
Hailey Duff
Mili Smith
#curling #ECC2021
PHOTOS: WCF / CELINE STUCKI
Schedule and Results
Saturday 20 November
W Scotland v Russia 7-4
M Scotland v Sweden 6-2
W Scotland v Denmark 8-2
Sunday 21 November
M Scotland v Finland 6-2
W Scotland v Sweden 8-5
M Scotland v Italy 10-5
Monday 22 November
W Scotland v Germany 9-5
M Scotland v Netherlands 9-2
W Scotland v Estonia 10-3
M Scotland v Germany 10-5
Tuesday 23 November
W Scotland v Italy 7-8
M Scotland v Denmark 1pm
W Scotland v Czech Republic 6pm
Wednesday 24 November
M Scotland v Switzerland 8am
W Scotland v Switzerland 1pm
M Scotland v Czech Republic 6pm
Thursday 25 November 
W Scotland v Turkey 7am
M Scotland v Norway 11am
W Semi Final 2 v 3 3pm
W Semi Final 1 v 4 7pm
Friday 26 November
M Semi Final 2 v 3 8am
M Semi Final 1 v 4 12.30pm
W Bronze medal game 5pm
Saturday 27 November
M Bronze medal game 8am
W Gold medal game 11.30am
M Gold medal game 4pm
