Czechia: "We're Not Done Yet"

Czechia may have lost their semifinal to Team USA, but according to head coach Carla MacLeod, it was part of the process, and her team is "not done yet."

BRAMPTON, Ontario -- Losing 9-1 in the World Championship semifinals would be viewed as a failure by many, but not by Carla MacLeod and Team Czechia. To the Czechia head coach, it was a part of the process, and a positive one.

"It’s a learning opportunity, that’s what we’ve said the whole event, putting it into perspective really does matter, I thought we competed," MacLeod said.

That perspective includes the fact this was only Czechia's second ever semifinal. Their first came last year, a 10-1 loss to the same American team. It's also Czechia's first time playing in Group A at the World Championship.

"[Y]ou can’t lose sight of where we’re at in our growth process and where we’re getting to," said MacLeod. "At the end of the day that opportunity, that game makes us better and makes us hungry, so you take it, and it’s part of the process."

Now Czechia returns to the bronze medal game, a contest they won last year 4-2 over Switzerland, capturing their first ever medal. While the entered last year's event as an unknown, according to captain Alena Mills, they'll enter this bronze medal game with a target on their backs

""I definitely think it's going to be hard for a second time," Mills said. "I think in Denmark, we surprised everybody. Now everybody knows how good we are so they are going to be ready for us."

As head coach Carla MacLeod said, her team may have lost the semifinal, but they're not done yet. Czechia intends to keep their bronze medal.

"I couldn’t be more thrilled of where we’re at, this is a process, this is growing, and that’s exactly what we’ve done the whole tournament and look what we’ve earned to this point, and we’re not done yet."

Czechia will face off against Switzerland tomorrow at 3pm for the bronze medal game. Canada plays USA for gold at 7pm.