News Canadian Open

NORTH BATTLEFORD, Sask. — Casey Scheidegger of Lethbridge, Alta., scored two pointss in the eighth end to upset reigning Olympic gold medallist Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg 6-5 during the Meridian Canadian Open women’s quarterfinals Saturday.

Team Scheidegger advanced to the semifinals in their first top-tier Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling event together.

Scheidegger has earned the “giant killer” nickname this season winning three titles on tour and also took down world No. 1 Rachel Homan of Ottawa during the triple knockout preliminary round.

“It’s great,” Scheidegger said. “At this level, to know we can compete with the top teams not only in Canada but in the world, it’s a big confidence booster for ourselves. We have [Val] Sweeting next so that’s another top team. Hopefully we can have a good game against them as well.” 

Jones led 4-1 and looked to make a double but didn’t get either one to go out and Scheidegger trailed 4-1 but tied it up with a draw to the button for three points in the sixth to tie it after Jones attempted a double takeout and missed them both. It was another missed opportunity for Jones in the seventh end when her draw for two rolled through the rings.

The six-time Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling champion Jones struggled again in the eighth flashing on her first skip stone and Scheidegger split the rings. Jones needed to make an across-the-house double but didn’t get it allowing Scheidegger to ease her last to the eighth-foot circle to score the winning deuce. 

“I mean, that’s curling. You get the breaks every once in a while,” Scheidegger said. “We were fortunate to get them against a team like that. We were able to capitalize, which is great for our game and we’re just happy that we’re still here.”

It’ll be a Battle of Alberta in the semifinals with Scheidegger facing Edmonton’s Val Sweeting, who secured a 7-4 victory over Tracy Fleury of Sudbury, Ont.

“It’s good for us to get some practice in with them before provincials, one last time,” Scheidegger said. “We’re familiar with each other because we do play each other quite often in Alberta.”

Sweeting opened with the hammer and drew to the button for a deuce in the first. After the teams alternated singles, Sweeting got some separation on the scoreboard in four as Fleury looked to draw through a narrow port, hit one of the guards and spilled away to concede three points. Sweeting didn’t ease up forcing Fleury to draw for a single while facing five in the fifth and matched with a point in the sixth to retake the five-point advantage. Fleury took two in the seventh but ran out of rocks in eight. 

Silvana Tirinzoni of Switzerland grabbed a 6-2 win over Jacqueline Harrison of Mississauga, Ont., to reach the other semifinal. Tirinzoni will play Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg, who eliminated reigning Masters champion Allison Flaxey of Caledon, Ont., 7-5. 

NOTES: The Meridian Canadian Open is the fourth event and third major of the 2016-17 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season. … TV coverage continues at 8 p.m. CT with the men’s and women’s semifinals. … Winners of the Meridian Canadian Open earn spots for the season-ending Humpty’s Champions Cup taking place at the end of April in Calgary.