Sochi, Russia (SportsNetwork.com) - Another smooth performance by Meryl Davis and Charlie White has improved the United States' chances of moving on in the team figure skating event at the Sochi Olympics.
The six-time reigning U.S. champions placed first in the short dance Saturday, moving the American team into third place behind Russia and Canada with the women's short program and pairs free skate still to come Saturday.
Davis and White, ice dance silver medalists in 2010, scored a 75.98 skating to "I Could Have Danced All Night" to earn 10 points for the U.S.
Canada's Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir finished second with 72.98 points and Russia's Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev were third with a score of 70.27.
Russia and Canada remained first and second with 27 and 26 points. The U.S. was in a three-way tie for fifth but moved up to third place with 20 points, three ahead of France.
Ashley Wagner will skate for the U.S. in the women's short program on Saturday and Kaetlyn Osmond will go for Canada.
The field will then be cut down to the top five teams for the pairs free skate.
Free skates for the men, women and ice dancing are scheduled for Sunday, when the medals for this new Olympic event will be awarded.
