Jacqui Herrera
The MissCues Regional Ladies Tour held its tour championships at the beautiful Bank Shot Billiards in Louisville, KY on December 11. With the timing of the event and a winter storm brewing, we hosted a small but very talented field of players including Stop 3 Champion Shannon Crosthwaite, Stop 2 Champion Chelsea Hardwick, Allison Hardwick, Shanna Lewis, Teresa Gifford, and tour point leaders Samantha Patton and Stop 1 Champion Jacqui Herrera. With only a 500 point difference between the two point leaders, the tour championships would be more than just an event win for either player. So the battle began.
First round match-ups found champions, Herrera and Crosthwaite in a close match until game six when Herrera put together five straight wins to take the first round 7-3. Just returning from the WPBA Tour Championships in Niagara, NY, co-MissCues tour director, Patton was in stroke and made it look easy against her fellow tour director, Becky Todd. Todd won the first two games of the set but from there, Patton dominated the board to win the set 7-2. In what appeared would be an early shut out match, the closest first round match found Lewis and C. Hardwick in a close battle. C. Hardwick won 5 of the first 6 games, but then on game 7, Lewis turned on the shots and battled back within reach. However, C. Hardwick proved to be cool under pressure and won the match 7-5.
As the day progressed, Patton won her next match over A. Hardwick 7-6 and Herrera posted a 7-5 win over C. Hardwick, matching up Patton and Herrera for the finals of the winner's side. In a close, back and forth match, Herrera prevailed, winning 7-4 and her spot in the hot seat. Patton waited her turn on the one-loss side for a second match-up with A. Hardwick. After great play from both players, Patton won 7-5 and her spot in the final.
With an event title, tour title, and WPBA 2011 tour invitation on the line, and again only a 500 point difference, Patton and Herrera began their final match of the season. Patton started strong winning the first two games and then Herrera answered her run with 3 wins in a row. Patton tied it up on game 6 and then ran into trouble. Herrera was in stroke and ready to roll. Herrera won the final set 9-3 and the title of MissCues Regional Tour Champion.
MissCues Regional Ladies Tour wants to thank all the players, our host/sponsor locations, Bank Shot Billiards & Louisville Billiard Club in Louisville, KY, and Silver Cue Billiards in Lexington, KY for hosting our events on such short notice, as well as, Bryan Roberts' Rack 66 Billiards Supply in Louisville, KY, the WPBA, and AZBilliards for their support this season. We are looking forward to having a full year for the 2011 season and plans are already underway to expand and kick off the tour in mid-March. Watch our website and join us on Facebook to keep up with tour and event details. www.wix.com/misscuestour/info
