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.
