Muirhead slips to third consecutive defeat in Vancouver

From Sportsbeat Staff, in Vancouver

EVE Muirhead's medal ambitions were dealt a hefty blow as Great Britain slipped to their fourth defeat of the women's curling competition at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

WORK TO DO: Great Britain's Eve Muirhead needs results to go her way to qualify for the medal rounds of the women's curling competition in Vancouver (Getty Images)

Mirjam Ott's European silver medallists Switzerland sensed Muirhead's vulnerability and after racing to an 8-1 lead after four ends, warded off a late comeback to win 10-6.

Having beaten world champions China and European champions Germany earlier in the competition, it was the British women rather than David Murdoch's world champion men's team who were being talked of as medal contenders.

But with Sunday's defeat signalling a third consecutive loss for the British rink, the top four places are quickly slipping out of reach.

It was a slow start that cost the British against Switzerland, with Ott stealing four against the hammer in the fourth end.

Muirhead continued to chip away at Ott's lead but single points with the hammer weren't enough. Three points in the seventh end and another stolen against the hammer in the eighth revived Muirhead's hopes but after Ott had scored again in the ninth, the British challenge subsided.

A fourth defeat doesn't mean curtains for the British rink, with Rhona Martin having won gold in 2002 after four early defeats, but with Denmark and leaders Canada still to face, two wins from their last two is a tall order.

But Muirhead insisted they weren't thinking about qualifying and would continue to take each match as it comes.

"It is going to be tough to get back from three wins and four losses, but we can only take each game at a time and try and perform the way we know we can, like in the second half of this game," said Muirhead.

"We are not down and out of it yet but we need to play well and get a bit of luck."

Meanwhile, coach Nancy Murdoch urged her rink to stay upbeat, reminding them of a previous victory over Bernard.

"We have to go out there and believe that we can win and do the best we can. We have beaten this Canadian team before," she said.

"We have to take a lot of heart out of their response when heavily down against Switzerland. They came back fighting and that was encouraging."

The Danes did Great Britain's hopes of reaching the top four a favour as Angelina Jensen beat Andrea Schoepp's Germany by 6-5.

But Canada are looking increasingly like champions elect as Sheryl Bernard struck first blood in the battle of USA and Canada on Sunday.

With the men's ice hockey group match poised for this evening, Bernard continued her perfect record in the curling with a 9-2 win with three ends to spare.

Meanwhile, Japan scored three in their extra end to dismiss Russia 12-9 and move ahead of Great Britain into fourth with three wins and two defeats.

 AS IT HAPPENS: Day ten of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver