REGINA -- Canada’s Kelly Scott, the two-time defending Canadian women’s champion, is on the brink here at the 2008 Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

Scott’s record fell to 1-3 here Monday morning after a 7-5 loss to Nova Scotia’s Mary-Anne Arsenault. Nova Scotia improved to 3-1 with the victory.

With the loss, Scott will now realistically need to win six of her last seven games to control her own playoff destiny this weekend.

“It has to turn eventually,” Scott said. “We’re kind of wondering if we can buy a break here.”

Canada and Nova Scotia were tied 1-1 in the fourth end when Nova Scotia stole four to go up 5-1. Arsenault stole one more the next end to go up 6-1 heading into the fifth end break.

Canada battled back, however, scoring a deuce in the eighth end and then stealing two more in the ninth end to head home in the tenth down 6-5.

Facing two Canada counters on the four-foot, Arsenault drew the button with the last rock of the end to preserve a 7-5 victory.

Canada’s Scott is not the only former champion limping through this tournament right now. Manitoba’s Jennifer Jones -- the 2005 Canadian champion -- is now 2-2 after losing her second straight game here Monday morning, 11-4 to Ontario’s Sherry Middaugh. The win improved Middaugh to 3-1.

“We were a little bit flat,” Jones said afterward, suggesting her team had failed to catch on to changed ice conditions.

In other games, Saskatchewan’s Michelle Englot scored five in the ninth end to break open a tie game and prompt New Brunswick’s Sylvie Robichaud to concede suddenly down 10-5. The win improved Englot to 2-2, while New Brunswick fell to 1-3.

Quebec’s Marie-France Larouche also improved to 3-1 with an 8-7 win over PEI’s Suzanne Gaudet. Gaudet fell to 1-3.

The Scotties resumes Monday afternoon when New Brunswick plays BC, PEI plays Newfoundland, Nova Scotia plays Alberta and Manitoba plays Yukon/NWT.