MARY McKENNA was last night in defiant mood despite watching her Britain and Ireland side fall behind 4-2 on the opening day of the 35th Curtis Cup match against the Americans on the Old Course at St Andrews.

Ireland's most capped player declared bluntly, "There are still 14 points to play for and that's my message to the girls tonight."

She added: "Naturally they are disappointed to be 4-2 behind, but the standard was exceptionally high and there is good banter among the team members and they are all lifting each others' spirits."

American captain Carol Semple Thompson said she was delighted her side was in the lead but her message to the players last night was, "Do not let complacency creep in, it is not a big lead".

With a little bit of luck, McKenna's team would have shared the post-lunch honours as the home side led in two matches at one stage of the afternoon play, but it was not to be.

Sally Watson, a 16-year-old from Edinburgh, was the day-one heroine for the hosts, playing and winning twice.

Only two other players on either side could match that, and they were the top players from the US college circuit, Amanda Blumenherst and Stacy Lewis.

Watson teamed up with new Scottish champion Michele Thomson from Ellon to win by one hole over Mina Harigae and Jennie Lee.

Then, in the afternoon fourball format, Watson and US college student Krystle Caithness teamed up well to beat Tiffany Joh and Meghan Bolger 3 and 2.

One morning match that went the way of the US meant Galway-born Alison Walshe got her first point, linking with Lewis to overcome English pair Jodi Ewart and Liz Bennett by 3 and 1.

"It's great to get that first point under your belt, especially with so many family and friends from Ireland over here," said Walshe, who was omitted from the afternoon session.

The two other Scots in the eight-strong squad, 15-year-old Carly Booth and Michele Thomson ran into former US women's amateur champion - and still a teenager - Kimberley Kim and Mina Harigae, who went seven under par to triumph 3 and 2.

Blumenherst and Joh extended the US lead to 4-2 by beating Florentyna Parker and Bennett by 3 and 1.

The Americans showed their class with the best scoring of the morning, a three-under 33 for the outward half that put them four up against Breanne Loucks and Parker.

That was stretched to five holes, but amazingly, the European duo were only one down with one to play when they won the Road Hole 17th with a creditable par four.

But Loucks and Parker were not quite able to finish off the job, as the latter missed a three-footer which would have salvaged a half.

For this morning's foursomes McKenna has omitted Parker and Caithness and sends Booth and Loucks in at the top of the order.