CALGARY -- Team Canada's Kerri Einarson is the lone undefeated skip at the Canadian women's curling championship after Ontario's Rachel Homan suffered her first loss on Wednesday.

Homan (5-1) lost 7-5 to Kerry Galusha (3-3) of the Northwest Territories.

Einarson, from Gimli, Man., improved to 6-0 with an 11-7 victory over the winless Laura Eby of Yukon.

Einarson, the defending champ, and Homan both have clinched spots in the championship round of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

In other action Wednesday morning, Wild Card Three's Beth Peterson (4-3) beat Northern Ontario's Krysta Burns 9-5.

Wild Card Two's Mackenzie Zacharias (2-4) edged Nova Scotia's Jill Brothers 6-5.

Einarson and Homan are the top two teams in Pool A with Alberta's Laura Walker in third at 4-2. Peterson is fourth.

Quebec's Laurie St-Georges and Wild Card One's Chelsea Carey lead Pool B at 4-2.

The top four teams from each pool of nine at the end of the preliminary round Thursday take their records with them into the championship round.

The top three emerging from the championship round Saturday will be Sunday's playoff teams, with the No. 1 seed rewarded with a bye to that day's final.

Two more draws were scheduled for later Wednesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2021.