Manitoba's Jennifer Jones denied Sherry Middaugh a chance to advance to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts final by defeating the Ontario skip 9-8 in extra ends Saturday in Regina.

Without the benefit of last rock in the 11th end and tied 8-8, Jones forced Middaugh into a double takeout.

Manitoba skip Jennifer Jones calls for the sweep during a match against Ontario at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts Saturday in Regina.
(Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press)

But with a trip to the final at stake, Middaugh watched as her rock only took out Jones's lead rock, giving Manitoba an opportunity to reclaim the title it earned in 2005.

Jones — winner of seven consecutive matches — will now take on Alberta's Shannon Kleibrink in the final on Sunday (CBC, 12:30 p.m. ET).

The winner represents Canada at the world women's curling championship March 22-30 in Vernon, B.C.

"I know we have a lot of respect for Shannon's team and I know they have a lot of respect for us," Jones said. "We want a shot for the win and that's all we're going for."

Jones and Kleibrink have clashed in the final of two Grand Slam cashspiel events, splitting the matchups one win apiece.

"If you knew you were in the final, who would you have thought would be there? For sure, it would have been Jennifer Jones's team," Kleibrink said. "They deserve to be there."

Painful loss

Kleibrink went 10-1 to top the round-robin standings before beating Middaugh 8-7 in an extra end in Friday's 1-2 Page playoff.

Jones began the tournament 3-4, but rallied to win her final four round-robin games to force a tiebreaker with Newfoundland and Labrador's Heather Strong. Jones won that match 6-3, then beat Quebec's Marie-France Larouche 6-5 in the 3-4 Page playoff before dispatching Middaugh on Saturday.

The semifinal was another heartbreaker for Middaugh, who has lost in the semifinal in each of her four times skipping Ontario at the Canadian women's curling championship.

This year may have been especially painful, as Middaugh dropped both her playoff games in an extra end.

"The skipper didn't finish it off again," Middaugh said. "We could have tried to draw the pin, but it was looking pretty yummy, that double. A fairly routine shot I guess, but maybe under the circumstances not so routine.

"The darn semifinal, I tell ya. As a skip, you're either the hero or the goat."

Middaugh storms back

The teams went at it from the beginning of the match.

Leading 2-1, Jones extended her advantage by three with steals in the third and fourth ends, respectively.

Middaugh stormed back in the fifth after her takeout of Jones's stone gave Ontario three points to even the match.

The skips exchanged two-point ends in the sixth and seventh ends to remain tied before Jones took a 7-6 lead after taking a point in the eighth.

Middaugh took a brief 8-7 lead in the ninth before a single by Jones during the following end set the stage for the exciting 11th.

With files from the Canadian Press