A punishing score of three at the ninth end against Latvian opponents who had put up a tough battle in what was a crucial encounter got Team Muirhead off the ice with an end to spare for the second time on day five of the Olympic Qualification Event in the Netherlands as they ensured that they will at the very least make the playoffs.
Both teams had gone into the match knowing that a fifth win would guarantee their involvement in the decisive stages of the competition that will see three teams qualify for next year’s Winter Olympics in Beijing and while the Scots were on top throughout, they were never allowed to pull clear until that strong finish took them out of reach, 9-5 ahead. 
“We just played a very clinical end,” skip Eve Muirhead said afterwards.
“Hailey (Duff, the team’s lead) played two great shots round their long centre guard and we kept it clean from there.
“They were obviously gambling a bit at the end, one down without the hammer, so they had to take a few risks, but we played a very solid end played a lot of good hits and rolls and managed to see out the game.”
For the sixth time in seven matches the Scottish quartet of Muirhead, Vicky Wright, Jen Dodds and Duff earned the right to deliver the final stone at the opening end by winning the pre-match last stone draw and they capitalised on that fully with a text book start, blanking the opening end, then scoring a two at the second, before picking up a bonus when they stole at the third to move 3-0 ahead.
Latvia responded with a two at the fourth end and it was tit for tat as the Scots matched that with a two at the fifth, then the teams forced one another to take singles at the sixth and seventh.
A two for Latvia at that eighth end narrowed the gap to a single shot once again, before that decisive ninth took Scotland into the playoffs and left their opponents to become their principal supporters for tomorrow’s match when a Scotland win over Italy will mean Latvia join them in getting through to the next stage.
However, as their skip pointed out, the Scots priority has to be focusing on their own form as they prepare to meet the Italians who were the only team to beat them on their way to winning the European Curling Championships less than a fortnight ago. 
“We’ve got to concentrate on ourselves,” said Muirhead.
“If we keep building momentum like we’re doing out there and playing like we are, then we’re going to be tough for whoever we do face. So it would be nice to get another win tomorrow just to keep the momentum going.
“We’re delighted to get into the playoffs. That was our number one goal coming here, to get that top four spot and we’ve done that.”
“I honestly think that every game we’ve played we’ve got better and we’re just adapting to the different conditions and to each other and I think we’re building a lot of good things, so as long as we win our last now we’re good.”
She also paid tribute to the work done by the technical crew at the Leeuwarden ice rink in trying circumstances.
“It’s been very hard. We obviously struggled a little with the ice early doors, but take your hats off to the ice guys. It’s not easy,” she observed.
“We’re in the middle of a speed skating track where you can actually see the speed skaters when you’re curling, so what a great job those guys have done to get the ice in a good shape.”
Scotland Team (Qualifying Team GB for Beijing 2022)
Eve Muirhead
Vicky Wright
Jen Dodds
Hailey Duff
Mili Smith
Schedule:
Saturday 11 December 
0800 – Session 1
Scotland v Czech Republic 7-5
Sunday 12 December
1300 – Session 3
Scotland v Turkey 3-7
Monday 13 December
0800- Session 4
Scotland v Korea 4-8
1800 – Session 5
Scotland v Japan 8-5
Tuesday 14 December
1300 – Session 6
Scotland v Germany 7-4
Wednesday 15 December
0800 – Session 7
Scotland v Estonia 9-2
1800 – Session 8
Scotland v Latvia 9-5
Thursday 16 December
1300 – Session 9
Scotland v Italy
Friday 17 December
0900 Play-off Session 1
Saturday 18 December
0900 Play-off Session 2
Image: WCF/ Steve Seixeiro & Celine Stucki
#curling #OQE2021 #Roadto2022
