MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Alberta skip Selena Sturmay was full of praise for third Danielle Schmiemann after her team’s big win on Saturday at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

Schmiemann constantly put the pressure on Nova Scotia’s Team Christina Black in the Page 3-4 game, playing a big role in four Alberta steals as Team Sturmay advanced to the semifinal with an 8-4 win.

“She’s one of the best players, in my opinion,” Sturmay said. “She saves our team a lot and I can always count on her to make that big shot. Just honestly super proud of all the girls.”

Sturmay, Schmiemann, second Dezaray Hawes and lead Paige Papley will next face Team Canada’s Kerri Einarson in the semis.

The semifinal winner on Sunday afternoon will take on Manitoba’s Kaitlyn Lawes in the final on Sunday night. Lawes and her unbeaten Manitoba squad crushed Einarson 10-2 in the Page 1-2 game on Saturday night.

Schmiemann, a second-team all-star this week, led her team Saturday by curling 85 per cent.

The third credited Hawes for an important pre-game message in a team meeting.

“She said we’ve worked so hard this year to put ourselves in this position. I think it’s shown in our composure this week,” Schmiemann said. “I can’t say enough about them and how they’ve done their jobs as best they can and more. Couldn’t ask for more from all three of them. It makes it easier to do my job when they’re doing theirs. We really feed off of each other that way and that kind of calm, collected energy has kind of led to putting us in this position.”

Sturmay’s best previous showing at the Scotties was a Page 3-4 loss in 2024 in her tourney debut. The Edmonton skip missed the playoffs last year.

The team has had a solid 2025-26 campaign, winning the Canadian Olympic Pre-Trials before going 4-3 at the Trials and then capturing the Alberta championship to earn a Scotties spot.

“I think those previous Scotties really helped us build experience, knowledge and just being comfortable in the big games,” Sturmay said. “Just looking forward to building off that.”

Team Black, the Olympic Trials runner-up, struggled with draw weight all afternoon. A three for Sturmay in the eighth end gave Alberta a 6-4 lead before the winning rink finished it off with consecutive steals.

“Great two years together, of battling and accomplishing so much, so I’m really proud of us, but I’m a little heartbroken,” an emotional Black said. “It’s too bad. We wanted to play on Sunday.

Sturmay, 27, is trying to take the longest possible road to the final. Her team beat Manitoba’s Beth Peterson in a Page 3-4 qualifier on Friday night after earning the third and final playoff spot in her pool.

With Saturday night off, the team had a lovely plan.

“Probably have a nice dinner. Probably not Denny’s. We’ve had a lot of Denny’s this week,” Schmiemann said with a laugh. “Treat ourselves to something nice and rinse and repeat tomorrow.”

Einarson, a four-time Scotties champion, was the lone skip in the 18-team field to have previously won the event, calling the shots. Lawes won one national championship as a third for Jennifer Jones.

The event champion will represent Canada at the world women’s curling championship in Calgary in March.

Two-time reigning Scotties champion Rachel Homan is not competing this week as she’s preparing to head to the Winter Olympics to represent Canada next week.