%20--%3e%3csvg%20version='1.1'%20id='Nebraska_N'%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns:xlink='http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20x='0px'%20y='0px'%20viewBox='0%200%20163%20152'%20style='enable-background:new%200%200%20163%20152;'%20xml:space='preserve'%3e%3cstyle%20type='text/css'%3e%20.st0{fill:%23FFFFFF;}%20%3c/style%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M159.1,144c-2.3,0-4.1,1.8-4.1,4s1.8,4,4,4s4-1.8,4-4S161.2,144,159.1,144z%20M159,151.2c-1.8,0-3.2-1.4-3.2-3.2%20s1.4-3.2,3.2-3.2c1.7,0,3.2,1.5,3.2,3.2C162.2,149.8,160.8,151.2,159,151.2z'/%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M157.4,145.6h1.4c0.6,0,0.8,0,1.1,0.2c0.4,0.2,0.6,0.6,0.6,1.1c0,0.4-0.1,0.7-0.3,1c-0.1,0.2-0.3,0.2-0.6,0.4%20h-0.1l1.1,2.1h-0.8l-1-2h-0.6v2h-0.8L157.4,145.6L157.4,145.6z%20M158.6,147.7c0,0,0.3,0,0.4,0c0.4-0.1,0.6-0.3,0.6-0.8%20c0-0.3-0.1-0.5-0.4-0.6c-0.1,0-0.1,0-0.6,0h-0.4v1.4L158.6,147.7L158.6,147.7z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M147,0H93h-5v5v35v5h5h5v24.8L55.2,2.3L53.7,0H51H5H0v5v35v5h5h5v62H5H0v5v35v5h5h54h5v-5v-35v-5h-5h-5V82.2%20l42.8,67.5l1.5,2.3h2.7h46h5v-5v-35v-5h-5h-5V45h5h5v-5V5V0H147z%20M150,5v35v3h-3h-7v66h7h3v3v35v3h-3h-46h-1.6l-0.9-1.4L52,75.3%20V109h7h3v3v35v3h-3H5H2v-3v-35v-3h3h7V43H5H2v-3V5V2h3h46h1.7l0.9,1.4L100,76.7V43h-7h-3v-3V5V2h3h54h3V5z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M103,87L103,87L51,5H5v35c0,0,7.8,0,10,0c0,3.3,0,68.7,0,72l0,0c-2.2,0-10,0-10,0v35h54v-35c0,0-7.8,0-10,0l0,0%20c0-2.6,0-47,0-47l52,82h46v-35c0,0-7.8,0-10,0l0,0c0-3.3,0-68.7,0-72c2.2,0,10,0,10,0V5H93v35c0,0,7.8,0,10,0%20C103,42.6,103,87,103,87z'/%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Head Coach Lori Sippel has taken Team <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Canada into uncharted territory at the Beijing Olympics, as her squad officially earned a place in the medal round for the first time ever on Monday, despite a 6-0 loss to Japan. The Canadians, who began the tournament 3-0, lost their final four games but still claimed the final spot in the semifinals by virtue of a fourth-place finish.
Canada now faces third-seeded Australia on Tuesday, Aug. 19 at 11 p.m. (Central). The loser of that game is eliminated, while the winner is assured of at least a Bronze medal. The United States earned the top seed and will face second-seeded Japan at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Team Canada had to wait for the final game of the preliminary round to see if it had advanced. After winning their first three games, the Canadians needed only one victory in their final four games to clinch a spot in the semifinals, but lost all four. After losing to Japan on Monday, the Canadians needed Venezuela to lose to Australia, and the Aussies came through with a 9-2 five-inning victory.
In the loss to Japan, former Husker Sheena Lawrick finished 1-for-3 for the fourth straight game. Robin Mackin, who will be a junior at Nebraska this season, pitched 4.1 innings of relief, allowing one earned run on six hits while walking three and striking out three.
Sippel, who is 3-4 in her Olympic debut as head coach, has led Canada to the medal round for the first time ever. The Canadians finished fifth in 1996 and 2004 and were last in 2000. Team Canada is assured of its highest finish ever in Beijing and with one more victory would become just the fifth country ever to win an Olympic medal in softball.
That win will not come easily, as the Canadians lost to Australia, 4-0, during round-robin play. The game was scoreless in the sixth until Australia plated one run in the sixth and three more in the seventh. The Canadians are hoping for a reversal of fortunes against the Aussies, as twice over the last month in a major international tournament, Canada defeated the Australians in the preliminary round only to be eliminated by the Aussies in the elimination round. Overall, Canada is 3-5 against Australia this year.