Fallon Sherrock will not retain her Women's World Matchplay title after losing out to her familiar rival in the infancy of the Women's Series in Lisa Ashton 4-3.
Ashton could've won easier missing pivotal doubles to give herself a bigger lead in the early going with Sherrock making it 1-1.
But it was her turn to capitalise on misses from Sherrock to level at 2-2 after initially having a poke at the 170 checkout.
Sherrock found the finishing that was deserting her to hold and make it 3-3 but hitting double four, Ashton found her way through with no trouble on the outer ring.
She will now face Mikuru Suzuki who produced the highest average ever seen in the tournament.
'The Miracle' hit 92.16 and rounded it off with 66% on the doubles against last year's finalist Aileen de Graaf.
Coming into the tournament as second seed, she has lived up to the billing and will be favourite to produce a final seen many times as of late on the Women's Series against Beau Greaves.
Greaves sits on the other side of the draw and will face Robyn Byrne after they won their respective Quarter-Finals earlier against Noa-Lynn van Leuven and Rhian O'Sullivan.
The top eight players in the PDC Women's Series get to share a £25,000 prize pool. The eight participants are all guaranteed £1250 in prize money.
A win in the quarter-finals doubles that amount to £2,500. The losing finalist will go home with £5000. A cheque for £10,000 pounds awaits the first winner of the Women's World Matchplay.
ASHTON SEES OFF SHERROCK! The reigning champion exits in the quarter-finals! Four-time Women's World Champion Lisa Ashton holds her nerve to edge out Fallon Sherrock in a dramatic last-leg decider to seal her spot in the semi-finals! 📺 bit.ly/WM23Live | #WMDarts
