USA 4.5-Europe 3.5

SUGAR GROVE, Ill.-- It's been a looooong day, but it's finally over. With a 20-foot par save on the 17th hole, Paula Creamer sealed the deal for the Americans in match 8, leaving the afternoon foursomes a dead heat and the home team ahead by 1 after the first day of competition.

One point may not sound like much, but for the Americans in the Solheim Cup, it's enormous. They've been behind -- sometimes way behind -- going into day two of the competition in seven of the previous 10 Solheim Cups. As the clear underdogs in this year's Cup, the Europeans needed a strong showing in four-ball and foursomes if they were to have any chance to make it through what a press room colleague just called "Sunday's slaughter." A one-point deficit after day one is not the way to get there.Â

If the term "moving day" ever applied for Saturday of a golf tournament, this is it. The Euros have to create some miracles tomorrow or they could be in for a record-breaking defeat.

That said, one point is still only one point. There's technically no reason the European team couldn't easily make that up. As long as they don't focus too much on history and statistics.

And now it's time to get out of here. The press-room over/under for the travel time to the media hotel is an hour and a half. I'm an optimist, but my money is still on the over.Â

--Stina Sternberg