VIRGINIA - Defending champion Rachel Homan of Canada clinched a playoff spot at the Pan Continental Curling Championships with a 9-1 win over Australia's Helen Williams on the final day of competition Friday.

The reigning two-time Canadian and world champion will play in Saturday's semifinals. The medal games are set for Sunday.

Homan's Ottawa-based squad improved to 4-2 when they broke open the game against Australia with five points in the fifth end.

In other Friday afternoon women’s games, China improved to 8-0 and clinched first place in the round robin with a 7-6 extra-end win over the United States, Japan beat New Zealand 7-2, and South Korea was a 12-2 winner over Mexico.

The 5-1 Americans, who are also playoff-bound, faced Canada later Friday in the final round-robin draw. Cana

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