U.S. men curlers beat Sweden, bolster hopes

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Jason Smith came out of retirement for one final curling run with buddy John Shuster and his U.S. teammates. After the Olympics, Smith plans to quit again - perhaps for good.

"I don't believe a word he says," teammate John Benton said.

If this is indeed it for Smith, he's going out with some brilliant shot-making. The U.S. men made it two straight wins with an 8-7, extra-end victory over Sweden yesterday, and they have Smith's sure hand to thank.

"It's not like I took 10 years off or something," Smith said. "I'm happy I'm here. There's no other place in the world I'd rather be, 0-4 or 0-9, I'd still want to be here. I have to go home for the summer and see if I miss it, then I'll decide."

A loss Saturday during the nine-game round-robin schedule would have all but eliminated the Americans. They stand only a remote chance of reaching the medal round after opening with four straight losses.

Shuster returned to the lineup after being benched for the team's win over France on Friday following an 0-4 start. Smith scored a go-ahead deuce in the ninth and the winner in the 11th.

U.S. women win

Debbie McCormick's U.S. team beat Britain 6-5 in an extra 11th end. That gives McCormick two in a row after losing her first three.

The American skip stole one in the 11th when Britain's Eve Muirhead had the last stone. Muirhead's draw to finish the seventh scored two, putting her team up 5-3. But the Americans scored a point each in the ninth and 10th ends to force another.