March 19th and 20th, College Billiards in San Diego hosted the final BCA quailifier. 19 women came ready to compete for the final spot with Texas express rules and the alternating break format including Miyuki Sakai of Japan, Susan Williams of Az, former pro billiard player Julie Nogiec and local San Diegan Tina Pawloski.
The hot seat match featured Tina Pawloski and Julie Nogiec where the flashy Pawloski started off with a 4-1 lead before smooth and confident stroking Nogiec made a comeback to go 6-5. At 8-6, Pawloski breaks doesn't make anything and leaves a 1-7-9 combo for the score to go 8-7. Returning the favor, Nogiec breaks and leaves the 2-9 combo which is missed by Pawloski but Pawloski goes on to win the game and takes the hot seat.
On the losers side, Susan Williams defeated Kristin Haney 7-2 to go on to play Nogiec. Williams had a strong 6-3 lead over Nogiec but was unable to finish as Nogiec came back with the 7-6 win over Williams to move on to the hot seat to avenge hot seat winner Pawloski.
In the finals, Nogiec was up 6-5 and Palwoski broke and ran the next rack to make the score 6 all. Pawloski won the next 2 games to put herself on the hill. Nogiec, unfaltered by being down once again made another come back to go hill-hill. In the final rack, Pawloski runs out and misses the 7 ball and then conceeds the last 2 balls on the table for Nogiec to win the finals.
1st $1000 Julie Nogiec (Las Vegas)
2nd $750 Tina Pawloski (San Diego)
3rd $450 Susan Williams (Chandler)
4th $280 Kristin Haney (Alpine)
5th/6th $155 Katy Moore (Las Vegas) & Hiroko Makiyama (Los Angeles)
7th/8th $80 Hilary Morse (San Diego) & Melinda Huang (Los Angeles)
Thank you to College Billiards and its staff for hosting the BCA. All the women had a great time and we hope to play again next year!!!
