Val Sweeting fended off a late charge from Casey Scheidegger to win 7-6 in an extra end during the B qualifier Friday at the Jiffy Lube Alberta Scotties Tournament of Hearts in St. Albert, Alta.
Sweeting, a three-time provincial champion, snapped a tie with a three-ender in the eighth, but Scheidegger charged back scoring a deuce in nine and stealing one in the 10th to force the decisive extra frame.
The Vegreville native Sweeting advances to Saturday night’s A-B page playoff game against Shannon Kleibrink’s team from Okotoks.
Team Kleibrink had the night off after defeating Calgary’s Geri-Lynn Ramsay 7-6 in the A-qualifier Thursday. Kleibrink is battling a back injury and has been in and out of the lineup with two-time Canadian champion Heather Nedohin subbing in.
Scheidegger, of Lethbridge, has one more shot at reaching the page playoffs against Kalynn Virtue in the C finals Saturday afternoon. Virtue beat Jodi Marthaller 6-2 in an all-Lethbridge match.
Meanwhile, Ramsay staved off elimination with a 6-5 win over Edmonton’s Holly Scott to reach the other C final against Edmonton’s Holly Baird, who ousted Calgary’s Nadine Chyz 8-6.
NOTES: The winner will represent Alberta at the national Scotties Tournament of Hearts running Feb. 18-26 in St. Catharines, Ont. … Calgary’s Chelsea Carey is not on hand to defend the title as her crew received the Team Canada auto-berth as the reigning national champions. … Watch live coverage of the Jiffy Lube Alberta Scotties Sunday on Sportsnet starting with the semifinal at 1 p.m. ET.