The US women are battling Switzerland this morning. Jessica Schultz, the US second, steps aside today to let alternate Courtney George get Olympic experience. George threw two good stones, the second knocking out the Swiss stone and sticking just on the edge of the 12 foot ring. That allowed the US to pick up two in the first end. A win by the Swiss end the American women's chance at a medal.

Update: The Swiss score two in the second end to tie the game. Maureen Brunt threw an air stone, and Cassie Johnson just missed a double takeout on her last shot. All week long, fractions of an inch on shots hurt the US women.

Update: Cassie Johnson goes for a double take out on her last stone, but knocks her own rock out of the house and Switzerland steals two for a 4-2 lead after three ends. The only good thing is that the US has the hammer in the even ends now.

This game so far is a microcosm of why the US women are doing so poorly this week. The little misses they make appear to be a result of inexperience. My guess is they are easily the youngest team in the tournament. I suspect in four years they'll be very good. They have a lot of room to improve.

Update: The US gets a point in the fourth, but again, a near miss costs them a point. It's 4-3 in favor of the Swiss.

The Swiss, by the way, aren't playing great either. They've just been a bit luckier so far.

Update: The Swiss make their own mistake in the fifth. The US was lying three, but the shot rock was exposed. The Swiss skip knocked off the shot, but rolled too far and the US steals two in the end to take a one shot lead. However, they do lose the hammer in the even ends. It's 5-4 US halfway through the match.

Update: The Swiss try to blank the sixth end, but their stone stays in the 12 foot ring for a point. I'm not quite sure why that's bad, but I'm still a novice at this. This way, the Swiss keep the hammer in the even ends, and the score is now tied at five.

Update: The US scores two in the seventh end to take a 7-5 lead over the Swiss. The Americans are improving as the game goes on, while the Swiss continue to make poor shots.

Update: Switzerland scores 1 in the 8th. It's 7-6 US going into the ninth. The US is not trying to blank the 9th end to get the hammer in the 10th, so this is going to be a very interesting finish.

Update: The US almost blows a point in the 9th end in an attempt to go for two. Trying to avoid a Swiss stone, Cassie Johnson kisses it, but it doesn't roll far enough to be shot. The US leads 8-6, but the Swiss have the hammer in the 10th.

Update: It's not clear what happened, but the US can't reach the medal round. Some tie breaker became unwinnable for the US in the last five minutes.

Update: Mirjam Ott made a fantastic last shot to score three to beat the US. More mistakes, this time by Jamie Johnson, sealed the defeat for the Americans.