CORTINA, ITALY – The United States opened the Paralympic wheelchair curling mixed doubles tournament with an 11–6 win over Latvia, using a four-point eighth end to pull away in a tightly contested match at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.

Steve Emt and Laura Dwyer built an early lead, answered Latvia’s four-point third end, and controlled the late stages of the game to secure the opening round-robin victory.

The Americans settled in early. Emt, vocal from the start on the ice, helped guide the U.S. through the first two ends as the pair established control.

After scoring one in the opening end, the United States added two more in the second. Emt delivered several precise defensive shots, including a takeout that removed a Latvian stone near the button while leaving a U.S. counter in scoring position.

Late in the end, Dwyer drew near the button to turn a potential single into two points, giving the United States a 3–0 lead.

“First game, first time, I was a little bit stiff,” Dwyer said afterward. “But I eased into it and reminded myself that I’ve thrown rocks before. This is just throwing rocks on ice.”

Between ends, the pair paused quietly at the hog line — a routine that has become part of their process during matches.

“It’s part of their process to take that moment in the craziness of the Paralympics to reground and recenter,” sports psychologist Dr. Matt Mikesell said. “They carve out time between ends to keep their energy where it needs to be and just get back to curling.”

Latvia responded in the third end using its power play. Polina Rozkova and Agris Lasmans built pressure with several draws around the four-foot circle.

When Dwyer’s final stone slid beyond the scoring area, Rozkova capitalized with a draw to the button, giving Latvia four points and a 4–3 lead.

“In this game we only have five stones per end,” Emt said. “If you miss three or four, you’re going to give up a big end.”

The United States answered immediately in the fourth.

Emt shifted momentum with a multi-stone takeout that cleared several Latvian rocks from the house. When Rozkova narrowly missed a late takeout attempt, Dwyer delivered a draw that secured three points and restored the U.S. lead at 6–4 heading into the mid-game break.

Coach Pete Annis said afterward the team worked through early inconsistencies.

“Laura’s weight control was a little up and down early,” Annis said. “But when she needed to make a shot, she made it.”

Latvia edged closer with singles in the fifth and sixth ends to tie the game 6–6.

With the match level, Emt delivered a precise draw late in the seventh end to give the United States a 7–6 lead entering the final frame.

The Americans closed the match in the eighth. After a U.S. timeout to review strategy, the pair positioned multiple stones in scoring range. Latvia faced a difficult final shot and slid through the house, allowing the United States to count four and secure the victory.

Emt finished with the highest shooting percentage in the game at 54 percent, helping the United States post a 47 percent team success rate compared to Latvia’s 36 percent.

“It’s a great environment,” Emt said. “From the village to the people to the ice — the whole experience so far has been outstanding.”

After the final stones, the U.S. pair lingered briefly on the ice discussing adjustments before leaving the sheet as music played through the arena.

“We can play a lot better,” Emt said. “But as long as we keep getting better as the week goes along, we’re going to be all right.”