Marc Pfister and Katie Dubberstein advanced to the playoffs of the 2025 Asian Winter Games mixed doubles curling event after the final draw on Thursday at the Harbin Pingfang Curling Arena in Harbin, China.
The Filipino duo, who serve as skips for their respective four-member teams, secured their spot in the playoffs with a dominant 11-2 win over Kazakhstan’s Aizizbek Nadirbayev and Amina Seitzhanova. This victory allowed them to finish the group phase with a 4-1 record, earning them second place in Pool B.
Pfister and Dubberstein will face Chinese Taipei, the third-ranked team from Group A, in the quarterfinals on Friday at 9 a.m. A win would secure them a spot in the semifinals and give the Philippines a shot at its first-ever medal in this quadrennial event.
The Filipinos drew strength from their ability to score in bunches, which had previously helped them upset favorites Korea, 12-6, in the opening match and dominate Kyrgyzstan and Qatar. Against Kazakhstan, they scored nine points in the first five ends, effectively sealing the win.
The Nationals stole two points in the first end, then capitalized on missed shots from the Kazakh team in the second to build a commanding 6-0 lead. During the second end, the Filipino duo executed precise draw shots into the house, fending off several takeout attempts from Kazakhstan.
Pfister and Dubberstein continued their momentum, stealing three more points in the next three ends, including a critical power play in the fourth. They capped off their dominant performance by scoring two more points during their power play to close out the game after seven ends.
China, which topped the group with a 5-0 record, handed the Philippines its only loss on Wednesday, 9-6.
