Jones and Japan try to advance to championship

After falling to Bingu Wang of China for a second time, Jennifer Jones and Team Canada need to get back on track quickly. They face Japan in the semi-final just hours after their loss to China.

Both Japan and China are in uncharted territories for both of these countries. Neither have been this close to the gold medal ever in curling. For Canada, however, anything short of gold often seems disappointing.

The front end of the game was tight, with neither team really taking a big lead. The fifth end, both skips put on a clinic in clutch shot making. Jones and Moe Meguro took turns firing off perfectly thrown run-back take-outs.

After the fifth end, however, things started to open up a bit. Japan picked up the first big scoring end of the game with three points in the sixth end. Though Canada wasn't missing much, but even the slighest mistake was capitalized upon by the Japanese. Even with a shooting percentage of 86% after the sixth end, Japan was still outplaying them with 91%.

Canada never gave up, and clawed their way to tie it up with a steal in the tenth end. Japan had the hammer in the extra end, but Jennifer Jones kept the pressure on. Canada stuck a rock in the four-foot early on and guarded it the whole way. Moe Meguro has nothing left on her last shot aside from a draw to the button, but her shot overcurled and Canada stole the win, 9-8.

Canada advances to Sunday's final against China's Bingyu Wang. Japan's not done yet, as they still have a chance to take the bronze medal in a game against Switzerland on Saturday evening.