The Associated Press Korey Dropkin (left) and Cory Thiesse of the U.S. react following their semifinal win over Italy in a mixed doubles curling match.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Korey Dropkin whooped and hollered and directed a string of fist pumps to a small pocket of American curling fans chanting “U-S-A! U-S-A!”

The U.S. is headed to the mixed doubles final at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics — and has quashed the title hopes of the host nation in the process. Dropkin and his more stoic partner, Cory Thiesse, guaranteed the U.S. its first Olympic medal in the mixed event with a 9-8 victory over Italy in a riveting semifinal match on Monday.

“I bring out a little bit more energy than I probably should,” Dropkin said, grinning through a voice hoarse from yelling in celebration.

“You don’t see football players, basketball players, baseball players always hiding their emotions,” he continued. “You know when they’re pissed off and you know when they’re having a good time. Why not curlers, too?”

Thiesse, from the curling haven of Duluth, Minnesota, becomes the first woman to win an Olympic medal for the U.S.

In today’s title match, the Americans will play Sweden, whose brother-and-sister team of Isabella and Rasmus Wrana upset the British pair of Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat in a 9-3 blowout in just seven ends.

Dropkin, of Massachusetts, and Thiesse are competing in their first Olympics and they hugged tightly after the final rock settled to earn two points and the win for the Americans.

Thiesse said it was “crazy” she was going to be playing in a final, adding: “Just a dream week really.”

Asked how it felt to beat the Italians, Dropkin said: “There’s no better way to make the Olympic final than to go through the reigning Olympic champions.”