Royal City Curling Club's Marla Mallett missed an opportunity to go to the Canadian championships.

The Mallett rink of third Kelly Shimizu, second Danielle Callens and lead Barbara Zbeetnoff lost the final at the B.C. women's curling championships 6-5 to five-time provincial champion Kelly Scott of Kelowna on Jan. 29.

Mallett tied the final game on three separate occasions in the match, including a deuce in the eighth that knotted the game 5-5.

After a scoreless ninth end, Scott drew to the four-foot on her final shot of the 10th for the win. The victory was Scott's third consecutive B.C. title - the first three-peat since Ina Hansen of Kimberley in 1964.

The Mallett rink opened with a 9-8 victory over Royal City clubmate Kelly Law at the North Shore Winter Club on Jan. 23.

Trailing 8-3 after a four-rock seventh end, Mallett rattled off a surprising comeback, stealing two in the ninth and three in the 10th.

But Mallett struggled midweek at the provincials, losing three straight games, including a 7-6 defeat to Scott.

Mallett got back on track with an 8-6 victory over Sarah Wark of Victoria. The New Westminster foursome then rattled off four consecutive wins, including a 10-5 victory over Scott, with a five-rock 11th end, in the quarter-finals.

Scott got by Law 9-7 in the semifinal to advance into the provincial final against the New West skip.

The Law rink of third Shannon Aleksic, second Kirsten Fox and lead Dawn Suliak won its quarter-final with Wark 7-5.

Law earned a spot in the playoffs with a 6-2 win over Jen Rusnell of Prince George, breaking open a tied match with two in the seventh and a steal of three in the 10th.

The Scotties Tournament of Hearts will be held in Red Deer, Alta. from Feb. 18 to 26.