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2017 ARCHIVES

Congratulations Tina Malm !
2018 NAPT Division 2 North American Champion

IMG_2018 D2C champ Tina Malm.jpg

2017 STOP #1

March 18-19

Triple Nines Bar & Billiards

Elkridge MD

 

   34 player field

 

   1st  $750  Meredith Lynch

       (+ NAPT Qualifier winner)

​

   2nd  $410  Caroline Pao

   3rd  $210  Nicole Monaco

   4th  $140  Linda Shea

   5th  $105  Carol V. Clark

        $105  Kathleen Lawless

   7th  $ 75  Kathy Friend

        $ 75  Tina Castillo

l-r: Caroline Pao, Linda Shea, Triple Nines owner-Stan Nasiatka, champion Meredith Lynch, Nicole Monaco

l-r: Caroline Pao, Linda Shea, Nicole Monaco, Carol V. Clark, Meredith Lynch, Tina Morfessis Castillo, Kathy Friend, Kathleen Lawless

Lynch Comes from the Loss Side to Defeat Pao in Finals of JPNEWT Season Opener

~ Skip Maloney, AZBilliards, March 21, 2017

​

About five weeks after chalking up a victory at the Virginia State Women's 10-Ball Championships, Meredith Lynch, after being defeated by Caroline Pao, came back from the loss side to down Pao in the finals and win the season opener on the J. Pechauer Northeast Women's Tour. The event ($500 added from Coins of the Realm) drew 34 entrants to Triple Nines Bar & Billiards in Elkridge, MD.

 

Lynch and Pao met first in a winners' side semifinal. After being awarded an opening round bye, Lynch defeated Kia SidburyDenise Reeve and Jenn Keeney by an aggregate score of 24-10 (70%), to draw Pao. Pao, who'd also picked up an opening round bye, had defeated Tina Malm, Nicole Fleming and Tina Scott and came into the winners' side semifinal versus Lynch with a 24-7 record (77%). Nicole Monaco, in the meantime, faced Carol V. Clark in the other winners' side semifinal.

 

Pao gave up a single rack to Lynch, and in the hot seat match, faced Monaco, who'd sent Clark to the loss side 7-4. Pao downed Monaco 8-3 to claim the hot seat, chalking up what would prove to be her last match win. 

 

 

On the loss side, Lynch drew Kathleen Lawless, who'd defeated Nicole King 7-4 and Tina Castillo 7-3 to reach her. Clark drew the 2016 tour's #1 player and tour director, Linda Shea, who'd gotten by Jenn Keeney 7-4 and Kathy Friend 9-7. 

​

Lynch and Shea advanced to the quarterfinals; Lynch 8-3 over Lawless and Shea 9-5 over Clark. Lynch ended Shea's weekend 8-6 in those quarterfinals, and then, by the same score, defeated Monaco for a second shot at Pao in the hot seat.

 

Lynch came into the finals looking for her second victory on the JPNEWT. She'd competed seven times in 2016, winning once in October. Pao, according to our records, first cashed on the JPNEWT in 2003, and though she'd been runner-up numerous times, had never won. Their mutual search for a milestone in their separate careers led to a double hill fight that Lynch eventually won to claim her second JPNEWT title, and temporarily at least, place herself at the top of the 2017 tour rankings.

 

Tour director Linda Shea thanked the ownership and staff at Triple Nines, as well as Coins of the Realm for the $500 money-added to the first ($300), second and third ($100 each) place payouts. The next stop on the JPNEWT, scheduled for April 29-30, will be hosted by Markley Billiards in Norristown, PA.

2017 STOP #2

April 29-30

Markley Billiards

Norristown PA

 

   15 player field

 

   1st  $250  Linda Shea

   2nd  $165  Jenn Keeney  *

   3rd  $110  Boye Lu

   4th  $ 75  Carol V. Clark

​

(* Jenn is winner of paid spot to NAPT Division 1 Pro Event at Shooters, Grayslake, IL, August 18-20)

 

l-r: Linda Shea, Jenn Keeney

l-r: Carol V. Clark, Linda Shea, Markley Mgr. Tony, Boye Lu, Jenn Keeney

Shea comes from the loss side to take second stop on the J. Pechauer Northeast Women's Tour

~ Skip Maloney, AZBilliards, May 3, 2017

​

...On the weekend of April 29-30, Shea chalked up her first victory of the 2017 JPNEWT season, coming from the loss side to meet and defeat hot seat occupant, Jenn Keeney. The victory moved Shea into the 2017 tour's #1 ranking slot. The event drew a short field of 15 entrants to Markley's Billiards in Norristown, PA.

 

Shea opened her bid against 2016's #2-ranked player, Kia Sidbury, who, though she failed to chalk up a tour win last year, participated in 12 of the tour's 13 stops, and accumulated the second highest number of total points (835). Shea downed Sidbury in this event's opening round 8-4, before being sent to the loss side by Carol Clark 7-5. Clark advanced to a winners' side semifinal against Keeney, while Sharon O'Hanlon (#3 in 2016) squared off against Boye Lu. Keeny moved into the hot seat match with an 8-6 win over Clark, and was joined by Lu, who'd moved O'Hanlon to the loss side 7-5. By the same score, Keeney sent Lu to the semifinals, and waited on Shea's return.

On the loss side, Shea got by Melissa Jenkins 9-4 and Nicole King 9-6 to pick up O'Hanlon. Elaine Wilson, who'd been sent to the loss side by O'Hanlon, eliminated Suzanne Sellet 7-2 and Kathleen Lawless 7-3 to pick up Clark.

 

Shea advanced to the quarterfinals with a 9-5 win over O'Hanlon. Clark joined her by squeaking past Wilson in a double hill battle. Shea flexed her muscles in that quarterfinal match, shutting Clark out in their re-match, and then downed Lu in the semifinals 7-5. Shea completed her first title run with a 9-6 victory over Keeney in the extended-race-to-9 finals.

 

In addition to the second place prize money, Keeney's finish afforded her a paid slot in a North American Pool Tour event, scheduled for August at Shooter's in Grayslake, IL. The next stop on the JPNEWT, scheduled for the weekend of May 20-21, will be hosted by First Break Cafe and Billiards in Sterling, VA.

2017 STOP #3

May 20-21

First Break Cafe

Sterling VA

 

   23 player field

 

   1st  $600  Briana Miller

   2nd  $300  Nicole King  *

   3rd  $230  Gwen Townsend

   4th  $ 90  Jenn Keeney

 5/6th  $ 60  Rumi Brown

        $ 60  Teri Thomas

 7/8th  $ 40  Anita Sowers

        $ 40  Rita Thakur 

​

(* Nicole is the winner of a paid spot to an NAPT Division 1 Pro Event at Shooters, Grayslake, IL, August 18-20)

l-r: Rumi Brown, Rita Thakur, Jenn Keeney, Teri Thomas, Anita Sowers, Briana Miller, Nicole King, Gwen Townsend

Miller Cuts Through Field of 23 at Third Stop on JPNEWT to Claim Event Title

~ Skip Maloney, AZBilliards, May 23, 2017

​

Briana Miller ended up winning just over three out of every four racks that she played during the third stop (her first appearance this year) on the J. Pechauer Northeast Women's Tour. But for three percentage points, that racks-against average would have been four out of every five. She went undefeated through a field of 23, on-hand for the $500-added (from Coins of the Realm) event, hosted by First Break Cafe and Billiards in Sterling, VA on the weekend of May 20-21.

 

After allowing only four racks to be scored against her through her first three matches, including an 8-1 victory over the tour's #1-ranked competitor, tour director Linda Shea, and a shutout over Kia Sidbury in the third round, Miller moved into what would prove to be her toughest challenge; a winners' side semifinal against Teri ThomasGwen Townsend, in the meantime, who'd been awarded an opening round bye, survived a second round double hill fight against Terri Stovall, defeated Britanya Rapp 7-3, and moved into the other winners' side semifinal against Rumi Brown.

 

Thomas chalked up two more racks against Miller (6) than her previous three opponents combined (4), but they weren't enough, as Miller advanced to the hot seat match 8-6. She was joined by Townsend, who'd sent Brown to the loss side 7-4. Miller shut Townsend out in that hot seat match, and waited on the return of Nicole King

​

King, after a second round defeat at the hands of Rapp, went on a six-match, loss-side streak that gave her a shot against Miller in the finals. Three victories into that run, she eliminated Judie Wilson 7-5, and Anita Sowers 7-2, to draw Brown.

Thomas picked up Jenn Keeney, who, going into the match, occupied the tour ranking's second spot, behind Shea (she was runner-up to Shea's victory on the tour's second stop). Keeney had been awarded an opening round bye and fell to Thomas 7-2 in the second round. Like King, Keeney was on a six-match, loss-side streak that would propel her as far as the quarterfinals. She'd gotten by Rapp 8-4 and Rita Thakur 7-3 to draw the re-match against Thomas.

 

As befitted a loss-side rematch, Keeney and Thomas battled to double hill before Keeney won it to advance to the quarterfinals. She was joined by King, who'd eliminated Brown 7-2. At the conclusion of her second straight double hill match, Keeney's loss-side streak had come to an end. 

 

King followed up by ending Townsend's single-match loss-side journey with a 7-3 win in the semifinals. King entered this third stop on the tour with a .500 record through its first two events (4-4), finishing 9th and 7th previously. Moving into the finals, she was guaranteed at least the tour's third spot in the rankings, behind Shea and Keeney, whose fourth place finish kept her in the #2 spot. A win would have moved King into the second spot, five ranking points ahead of Keeney. Miller, appearing in her first JPNEWT event of the year, completed her undefeated run with a 7-3 win over King in the finals. The victory put Miller in sixth place in the tour rankings, behind Shea, Keeney, King, Meredith Lynch and Carol V. Clark. Miller, having already received an invitation to a North American Pool Tour Division 1 Pro event, deferred the qualifying spot for this event's winner to Nicole King.

2017 STOP #4

June 24-25

Champion Billiards Sports Bar

Frederick MD

 

   29 player field

 

   1st  $800  Karen Corr

   2nd  $400  Briana Miller

   3rd  $300  Tina Malm

   4th  $160  Eugenia Gyftopoulos *

 5/6th  $135  Heather Platter

        $135  Nicole King

 7/8th  $100  Gwen Townsend

        $100  Kassy Bein 

​

(* Eugenia is the winner of a paid spot to the NAPT Division 1 Pro Event at Shooters Billiards, in Grayslake IL, August 18-20.)

l-r: Karen Corr, Briana Miller, Tina Malm

l-r: Briana Miller, Gwen Townsend, Nicole King, Tina Malm, Eugenia Gyftopoulos, Karen Corr, Kassy Bein, Heather Platter

Karen Corr Comes from B-Side to Win JPNEWT Tour Stop #4 

~ Meredith Lynch, June 27, 2017

​

A strong and thrilling stop at Champion Billiard Sports Bar in Frederick, Maryland, for the J. Pechauer tour kicked off June 24th with 29 players. The two-day event was jam-packed with some serious competition, visible in the final match, which consisted of not only WPBA hall of famer Karen Corr, but also, 6-time Junior National Champion and ACUI Collegiate Champion, Briana Miller. Both had challengers on their way to the top, and met each other part way through. As a major feather in the 21-year-old’s cap, Briana sent Karen to the B-side. Briana also later won the hot-seat match 7-2 against accomplished regional champion, Tina Malm, and awaited the return of Karen Corr in the finals.

​

The finals weren’t the only highlight of the tournament, however. Gwen Townsend, recently returning to regional tournament play, was up 2-0 at the start of her match against Karen on Sunday, and finished with an impressive 7-5 score. There were several runouts for both players in that match, including the first rack by Gwen from the 3 ball. This was not an easy task against a legendary player, especially on the stream table. Ultimately Karen took back control, as did Tina Malm in her match against Townsend. Tina emerged victorious from her first round match with Gwen 7-4, and went on to claim victories against Heather Platter (7-1) and recent hot-streak player, Nicole King (7-5). Both Heather and Nicole carried on to share 5th-6th place, and a notable finish of 4th from Eugenia Gyftopoulos was recorded.

​

As the top 3 ladies were not eligible for the qualifying spot at stake this tournament, as they were already qualified, Eugenia took home the valuable prize. She will get to choose free entry into either the Las Vegas event in November, or the Chicago event in August, of the NAPT Division 1 tour. Congratulations, Eugenia! Her run was stopped in the quarterfinals by Karen Corr (7-0) and her first loss was given by the other finals participant, Briana (7-5).

​

Briana started her undefeated journey to the finals with a challenge from Judie Wilson (7-4), going on to defeat Teri Thomas (7-0), and then met the great Karen Corr third round winner’s side. Karen had at that point already a 7-2 win against long-time player Anita Sowers, and a 7-1 win against Victoria

Mason. The pressure was on the young gun to prove she was capable, and prove she did. Pulling victory from defeat’s hands, Briana downed Karen hill-hill.

​

Karen, not taking this lightly, went on to win against Elaine Wilson (7-1), the previously mentioned match against Gwen Townsend (7-5), Nicole King (7-3), Eugenia Gyftopoulos (7-0), and in the semifinals, Tina Malm (7-2), earning a rematch against Briana in the finals.

​

And what a finals it was! In a modified race to 7, Karen, coming from the B-side, needed to get to 7 games first to ensure a race to 9. If undefeated Briana reached 7 games first, the match would be over. Starting with back to back break and runs, the score was tied 1-1, with Karen breaking 3rd rack. She scratched on the break, giving ball in hand to Briana who executed a flawless runout from the 1 ball. The next rack showed some safety play, but Karen won that one. Both players were gunning for first, and the next 3 racks were alternated break and runs. At 4-3 with Karen ahead, Briana broke with the hope to recapture her lead. The layout was unlucky and she was left behind the 5 with no way of hitting the 1. After a pushout and some safety play, Karen took that rack. Keeping with that momentum to run the next rack out, she hung the nine on a sharp, midtable cut. That gift would be Briana’s final score as Karen shifted into a higher gear and ran the next 3 racks with little or no opportunity for a challenge.

​

In the final rack, with the score 8-4, a safety battle ended with an opening for Briana. The young champion ran through to the last 3 balls and had an unfortunate bump to the nine ball that led to her demise. Briana conceded the last two balls to the legendary Karen Corr, making Karen the winner of the JPNEWT Tour Stop #4 at Champion Billiards in Frederick, MD! Congratulations, Ms. Corr!

​

The JPNEWT tour would like to thank our sponsors: J. Pechauer Custom Cues, Coins of the Realm in Rockville for adding money, Britanya Rapp for sponsoring our streaming, Champion Billiards in Frederick for hosting us, and special thanks to Lights Out Billiard Apparel for sponsoring our all new challenge table! Thank you and come see us at Classic Billiards in Phoenixville, PA, for our next tour stop August 26-27th.

2017 STOP #5

August 26-27

Classic Billiards

Phoenixville PA

 

   21 player field

 

   1st  $300  Jia Li

   2nd  $180  Caroline Pao  *

   3rd  $125  Elaine Wilson

   4th  $ 85  Tina Malm

 5/6th  $ 50  Kathy Friend

        $ 50  Tina Marinelli

 7/8th  $ 40  Kia Sidbury

        $ 40  Sharon O'Hanlon 

​

(* Caroline is the winner of a paid spot to the NAPT Division 1 Pro Event at Eagle Billiards, this fall.)

l-r: Caroline Pao, Jia Li

l-r: Caroline Pao, Kia Sidbury, Tina Malm, Jia Li, Kathy Friend, Elaine Wilson, Sharon O'Hanlon, Tina Marinelli

Jia Li comes back from winners' side semifinal loss to defeat Pao in finals of JPNEWT Stop #5

~ Skip Maloney, August 31, 2017

​

Just back from an appearance in the North American Pool Tour's (NAPT) third Division I Pro tournament in Greyslake, IL, where she finished fourth on the weekend of August 18-20, Jia Li returned to the familiar confines of the J. Pechauer Northeast Women's Tour (JPNEWT) to compete in their fifth stop of the year on the weekend of August 26-27. Li came back from a loss to Caroline Pao in a winners' side semifinal of the event to meet and defeat her in the finals. The event, which drew 21 entrants to Classic Billiards in Phoenixville, PA, was a qualifier for the next NAPT Division I Pro event, scheduled for September 28-October 1 at Eagle Billiards in Dickson City, PA, and with Li already qualified, Pao picked up the invitation that will allow her to compete in that event.

 

Following a 7-5 win over Carol V. Clark in the event's opening round, Li met up with fellow NAPT competitor, Kia Sidbury, who had come within a match of meeting Li in the quarterfinals of the recent NAPT event (Sidbury was eliminated by Eleanor Callado, just prior to those quarterfinals). Li shut Sidbury out, and then defeated Jenn Keeney 7-2, to draw Pao in the winners' side semifinal. Elaine Wilson, in the meantime, who, following an opening round bye, had survived two straight double hill matches against Kathy Friend and Tina Marinelli, squared off against Tina Malm.

In their first of two, Pao downed Li 7-4 and advanced to the hot seat match. She was joined by Wilson, who'd sent Malm to the loss side 7-2. Pao gave up only a single rack in the hot seat match against Wilson, which proved to be her last match victory of the weekend.

 

Li moved to the loss side and picked up Marinelli, who, following her defeat by Elaine Wilson, had chalked up two straight double hill matches against Kathleen Lawless and Sidbury. Malm drew Friend, who, following her defeat by Wilson had, after a loss-side bye, chalked up three straight 7-5 wins, over Clark, Nicole King and Sharon O'Hanlon.

 

Li eliminated Marinelli 7-3, and in the quarterfinals, faced Malm, who'd defeated Friend, double hill. Li defeated Malm 7-5, and then, heating up, allowed Elaine Wilson only one rack in the semifinals, to earn her a second shot against Pao.

 

In the single race-to-9 final, Li defeated Pao 9-6 to claim her first JPNEWT victory of the year. The two could conceivably meet again, in two weeks, at the sixth stop on the JPNEWT, scheduled for September 16-17 at Q Master Billiards in Virginia Beach, VA or in a month, when they travel to Dickson City, PA for the next NAPT Division I Pro event

2017 STOP #6

September 16-17

Q-Master Billiards

Virginia Beach VA

 

   21 player field

 

   1st  $600  Linda Shea

   2nd  $400  Caroline V. Clark  *

   3rd  $275  Elaine Wilson

   4th  $185  Kia Sidbury

 

(* Carol V. Clark is the winner of a paid spot to the NAPT Division 1 Pro Desert Challenge at Griffs Las Vegas in November.)

l-r: Linda Shea, Nicole King, Carol V. Clark, Sharon O'Hanlon, Kia Sidbury, Elaine Wilson

Shea Goes Undefeated to Claim Her Second 2017 JPNEWT Tour Title

~ Skip Maloney (AZBilliards), September 21, 2017

​

Linda Shea went into the sixth stop on her J. Pechauer Northeast Women’s Tour as the tour’s #2-ranked player, a mere 25 points behind the tour leader, Nicole King. An undefeated run through a short field of 14 entrants  on-hand for a $700-added event at Q Master Billiards in Virginia Beach, VA over the September 16-17 weekend, gave Shea a second win on this year’s tour (she won her first back in April) and allowed Shea to switch places with King in the current tour rankings (King finished this event in the tie for fifth place). The event’s runner-up, Carol V. Clark, switched places with Elaine Wilson as well, moving up from 4th to 3rd place in the rankings.

 

Shea had to get by Clark twice to claim the title. She did so, first, in the battle for the hot seat. Shea had sent Kia Sidbury to the loss side 7-3, while Clark was busy in a double hill fight that eventually sent Sharon O’Hanlon to the loss side. Shea and Clark battled to double hill in the hot seat match, before Shea finished it, sending Clark over to the semifinals.

 

On the loss side, Sidbury picked up King, who’d been sent to the loss side by O’Hanlon and  defeated Kassandra Bein 7-4 and Jacki Duggan, double hill. O’Hanlon drew Elaine Wilson, a second-round victim of Shea’s, who’d defeated Connie Eddins 7-3, and Judie Wilson 7-5.

​

With only 25 points between Shea and King in the standings, and Shea already guaranteed a minimum of 160 points, Kia Sidbury assured Shea’s elevation to the top ranking position with a 7-5 win over King. Sidbury was joined in the quarterfinals by Elaine Wilson, who’d defeated O’Hanlon 7-5.

​

Wilson defeated Sidbury 7-5 in those quarterfinals, only to have her loss-side run halted by Clark in the semifinals 7-2. The often intangible element of momentum, which normally favors the player who’s not been sitting during the semifinals (in this case, Clark), failed to have an effect. Shea improved on the double hill fight she and Clark had waged in the hot seat battle, and claimed the event title with a 7-2 win in the finals.

 

As a qualifying tournament for a North American Pool Tour event (The Desert Shootout, scheduled for November in Las Vegas), Shea’s victory gave her a spot in that tournament. Having already been invited, Shea passed the qualifying spot on to Clark.

 

Shea thanked the ownership and staff at Q Master Billiards for their ongoing hospitality, as well as title sponsor J. Pechauer Custom Cues. Stop #7 on the JPNEWT, scheduled for October 14-15, will be hosted by Eagle Billiards in Dickson City, PA.

2017 STOP #7

October 14-15

Eagle Billiards

Dickson City PA

 

   16 player field

 

   1st  $600  Jia Li

   2nd  $400  Linda Shea

   3rd  $265  Kia Sidbury

   4th  $175  Melissa Jenkins

   5/6  $100  Amanda Soucy  *

        $100  Erica Testa

 

(* Amanda Soucy is the winner of a paid spot to the NAPT Division 1 Pro Desert Challenge, at Griffs Las Vegas, in November.)

l-r: Linda Shea, Melissa Jenkins, Jia Li, Kia Sidbury, Eagle's owner-Chris Wilson

Li Goes Undefeated to Win Her Second 2017 J. Pechauer Northeast Women's Tour stop

~ Skip Maloney (AZBilliards), October 15, 2017

 

Jia Li made her second appearance on the 2017 J. Pechauer Northeast Women’s Tour (JPNEWT) on the weekend of October 14-15, and as she did in her first appearance in August, she won the event. In August, she had to negotiate three matches on the loss side before meeting and defeating hot seat occupant, Caroline Pao. At this most recent stop, she went undefeated, downing separate opponents in the hot seat match and finals. The $1,000-added event drew 16 entrants to Eagle Billiards in Dickson City, PA.

 

Following victories over Amanda Soucy 7-3, and Chari Slater 7-1, Jia Li moved into a winners’ side semifinal against the tour’s #1-ranked player, Linda Shea. Kia Sidbury, in the meantime, having defeated Morgan Steinman 7-3 and Colleen Shoop 7-2, moved on to face Melissa Jenkins in the other winners’ side semifinal. Li gave up only a single rack to Shea and advanced to the hot seat match. She was joined by Sidbury, who’d sent Jenkins to the loss side 7-4. Li claimed the hot seat 7-2 over Sidbury and waited for Shea to get back from her three-match trek on the loss side.

​

Shea opened her loss side campaign against Soucy, who, after being sent over by Li, defeated Judie Wilson 7-5, Shoop 7-4, and Elaine Wilson 7-2. Jenkins picked up Erica Testa, who’d been sent to the loss side by Shea and defeated Carol V. Clark 7-1 and Morgan Steinman 7-5.

 

Shea defeated Soucy 7-1, as Jenkins was eliminating Testa 7-3. Shea took the quarterfinal match over Jenkins 7-2, and then earned her re-match against Li, while denying Sidbury hers, with a 7-4 win in the semifinals. Li, though, completed her undefeated run with a 7-2 win over Shea in the finals.

 

The next stop on the JPNEWT will be the tour’s season finale. Scheduled for November 18-19, it will be hosted by Triple Nines Bar & Billiards in Elkridge, MD.

2017 STOP #8

November 18-19

Triple Nines Bar & Billiards

Elkridge MD

 

   17 player field

 

   1st  $800  Briana Miller

   2nd  $450  Linda Shea

   3rd  $330  Jackie Rivera

   4th  $150  Kathy Friend

   5/6  $100  Judie Wilson

        $100  Sharon O'Hanlon

​

l-r: Jackie Rivera, Judie Wilson, Briana Miller, Sharon O'Hanlon, Kathy Friend, Linda Shea

Miller, on College Thanksgiving Break, Wins JPNEWT Season Finale

~ Skip Maloney (AZBilliards), November 19, 2017

 

...Briana Miller went undefeated through a field of 17, on-hand for the $1,250-added ($500 from Coins of the Realm) event, hosted by Triple Nines Bar & Billiards in Elkridge, MD on the weekend of November 18-19.

 

Miller’s five-match trek to the event victory saw her win 35 of her 44 games. She gave up a single rack to Tina Marinelli in her opening round of play, and four to Carol V. Clark, which set her (Miller) up to face Judie Wilson in one of the winners’ side semfinals. Shea, in the meantime, who would finish with a 21-24 game record, got by Terri Stovall and Heather Platter, both 7-3, to draw Sharon O’Hanlon in the other winners’ side semifinal.

 

Miller sent J. Wilson to the loss side, as Shea was downing Hanlon, both 7-4. Miller chalked up the first of her two straight shutouts over Shea to claim the hot seat, and waited for Shea to get back from the semifinals.

 

On the loss side, J. Wilson and O’Hanlon drew two competitors in the middle of a three-match, loss-side winning streak. Judie Wilson picked up Kathy Friend, who’d defeated Kia Sidbury 7-3, Melissa Jenkins 7-1 and Heather Platter 7-3. O’Hanlon drew Jackie Rivera, who’d gotten by Elaine Wilson 7-3, Eugenia Gyftopoulos 7-4 and Nicole King 7-2.

​

Friend and Rivera made it four in a row with identical 7-5 wins over J. Wilson and O’Hanlon, respectively. In the quarterfinals that followed, Rivera made it five loss-side wins in a row, defeating Friend 7-3.

 

Shea ended Rivera’s run with a 7-5 win in the semifinals. Miller claimed the season finale event title with her second shutout over Shea.

 

The win moved Miller up into second place (from eighth) in the tour’s season-end rankings, behind Shea. Miller had competed in only three events this season, winning two of them, and finishing as the runner-up to Karen Corr, in the third. Carol V. Clark, by virtue of her 9th place finish in this event, took the number 3 spot in the final standings. Rounding out the tour’s top-ten ranked players, in order, from fourth place: Elaine Wilson, Nicole King, Kia Sidbury, Jenn Keeney, Jia Li, Sharon O'Hanlon, and Judie Wilson.

 

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