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Fisher ‘twins’ are winner and runner-up at 5th Annual WPBA Ashton Twins Classic

Brittany Bryant, Kelly Fisher and Allison Fisher

About two months ago, Kelly and Allison Fisher squared off in the finals of the WPBA’s Northern Lights Classic, which was the first time they’d met in an event final in six years, when Allison downed Kelly twice in the 2016 finals of the 19th Annual International Women’s Tournament of Champions at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. It didn’t take anywhere near that long between final meetups this time around, because following their finals match in the Northern Classic (won by Kelly), they squared off again this past weekend (June 23-26) at the 5th Annual Ashton Twins Classic. Allison was the event’s defending champion, having defeated Jennifer Baretta in the finals of the event the last time it was held in 2020. Kelly claimed the title this time, coming from the loss side to do it at the event which drew 63 entrants to The Hidden Spot in Calgary, Alberta.

With the Northern Lights Classic and the Super Billiards Expo, the WPBA competitors had been getting back into the stroke of things, to include renewing acquaintances and enjoying the companionship that had marked their days pre-COVID. The Ashton Twins Classic continued that process as the cream of the WPBA crop gathered. Kelly was the event’s #1 seed, with Brittany Bryant as #2. Allison was #3 with Caroline Pao #4 and Janet Atwell #5. Rounding out the top 10 seeds were Ashley Burrows, Emily Duddy, LoreeJon Brown, Kim Newsome and Teruko Cuccelelli.

Kelly’s path to the hot seat match was relatively undramatic; in races to 8, downing Katherine Robertson (2), Eleanor Callado (2), Kelly Cavanaugh (3) and Maria Teresa Ropero Garcia (1), she drew Pao in one of the winners’ side semifinals. Allison, in the meantime, got by Jana Montour (2), Sandra Badger (1), Stephanie Mitchell (1) and Kyoko Sone (6) to arrive at her winners’ side semifinal versus Bryant.

The event’s top four seeds went at it in their respective winners’ side semifinals. Allison sent Bryant to the loss side 8-3, while Kelly was sending Pao over 8-2. Allison grabbed the hot seat 8-4 and waited for Kelly to get back from the semifinals.

On the loss side, Bryant picked up Eleanor Callado, who’d been defeated by Kelly Fisher in the second winners’ side round and was working on a six-match, loss-side winning streak that had recently eliminated Susan Mello 8-4 and Ashley Burrows in a double hill battle. Pao drew Sone, who, after losing her winners’ side quarterfinal to Allison Fisher, had defeated Maryann McConnell 8-1 and Tamami Okuda 8-2.

Sone, who was seeded just outside the top 10 (#11), downed the #4 seed, Pao 8-6, while Bryant was eliminating Callado 8-1. Bryant stopped Sone’s loss-side run at three matches with a subsequent 8-5 win in the quarterfinals.

And there they were, the event’s top three seeds as the last three standing on Sunday afternoon. Kelly Fisher defeated Bryant 8-4 for a second shot at Allison, waiting for her in the hot seat.

The final was a single race to 10. Allison had chalked up twice as many racks as Kelly to claim the hot seat. Kelly chalked up twice as many as Allison in the finals, 10-5, to claim the 5th Annual Ashton Twins Classic.

The Ashton twins, Beverly and Joanne, who finished 49th and 25th, respectively (Beverly allowing Joanne to advance when they were scheduled to meet in the first loss-side round), along with the WPBA thanked the ownership and staff of The Hidden Spot for their hospitality, along with sponsors Simonis, Esports, Diamond Billiards Products, RAD and ATC. 

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Fisher comes back from hot seat loss to down Barretta and claim Ashton Twins Classic in Alberta

Holem, Plowman, Osborn and Lane win four concurrently-run Amateur/Open events

 

Two of pool’s old-school professionals battled in the hot seat and finals of the WPBA’s 4th Annual Ashton Twins Classic over the weekend (Dec. 2-5). Allison Fisher, who entered the tournament as the WPBA's #1 competitor,, and Jennifer Barretta (#3) fought to double hill in the hot seat match, before Barretta prevailed. Fisher came back from the semifinals to meet and defeat her in the finals and claim the 4th Ashton Twins Classic title, her 82nd pro title. Since the event debuted in 2017, it’s been won by two ‘new-school’ professionals, Brittany Bryant (2017, currently #2) and April Larson (2018, currently #23) and in the past two years, by old-school professionals, Vivian Villareal (2019, currently #48) and Fisher this year. The $20,000-added event drew 50 entrants to the Grey Eagle Resort & Casino in Calgary, Alberta.

 

The long weekend also featured four, concurrently-run Amateur and Open events; an Amateur Men’s 9-Ball (51 entrants), a Women’s Amateur 9-Ball (26), a Men’s 8-ball (71; the highest number of the weekend’s events) and a Women’s 8-Ball event (56). A summary of these four events, to include winners and runners-up will follow the Pro event details.

 

While the old-school professionals were represented in this year’s final, the new-school professionals were right there behind them, finishing 3rd (Russia’s Kristina Tkach, #22) and 4th (China’s Wei Tzu-Chien, #4). The tie for 5th place featured one each from the two categories; Janet Atwell (#11), who fell to Wei Tzu-Chien and the event’s 2017 winner, Brittany Bryant, who was eliminated by Tkach. The event’s 2018 champion, April Larson was on hand for this event, as well. She was sent to the loss side by Wei Tzu-Chien and was defeated in her first loss-side match by Kim Newsome (#24). Vivian Villareal did not make the trip to Canada.

 

Following an opening round bye, Fisher opened her six-match winning campaign with three victories in which she gave up a combined total of two racks; one each to (first) Stephanie Hefner and (third) Caroline Pao, with a shutout over Laura Smith in between. This set Fisher up to face Wei Tzu-Chien in one of the winners’ side semifinals (old-school/new-school). Barretta, in the meantime, had also been awarded a bye, and though not quite the domineering performance exhibited by Fisher, she did get by Stephanie Mitchell 9-2, June Maiers 9-3 and Monica Webb 9-2 to arrive at her winners’ side semifinal against Brittany Bryant (another old-school/new-school matchup).

 

Bryant chalked up as many racks against Barretta as all three of Barretta’s previous opponents combined, but fell two short, advancing Barretta 9-7 to the hot seat match. Wei Tzu-Chien chalked up three times as many racks as Fisher’s first three opponents combined, but fell three short, advancing Fisher 9-6 to meet Barretta. As befitted their status, Barretta and Fisher locked up in a double hill fight that saw Barretta down 5-8, before mounting a four-match comeback that left her in the hot seat and Fisher headed for a semifinal matchup versus Kristina Tkach.

 

Going into the money rounds on the loss side (17-24), there were still more than just a handful of potential winners vying to get back to the finals. Among them were Janet Atwell, who’d been defeated, double hill, by Caroline Pao and dropped into the loss side’s first money round. She subsequently got by Emily Duddy 9-7, Laura Smith 9-3, Monica Webb 9-6, and Jia Li 9-6, to draw Wei Tzu-Chien, coming over from the winners’ side semifinal.

 

Also lurking on the loss side was Kristina Tkach, who’d lost her first winners' side match (after a bye) to Kyoko Sone, and then launched an eight-match, loss-side winning streak that would take her all the way to the semifinals. After eliminating Ada Lio and Ashley Burrows to make it into the money rounds, she defeated Gail Eaton 9-1, Dawn Hopkins, double hill, Caroline Pao 9-5 and the WPBA’s #1-ranked competitor going into the tournament, Line Kjorsvik 9-2, to draw Bryant.

 

Tkach dispatched Bryant 9-2 and was joined in the quarterfinals by Wei Tzu-Chien, who’d eliminated Atwell 9-7. Tkach finished up her loss-side winning streak with a 9-3 win over Chien.

 

The commentators on the Cue Sports Live stream employed a slightly different vocabulary for the semifinal match, opting to call it a match between the ‘old guard’ and the ‘new guard.’ Fisher won the opening game of the semifinal match, and though Tkach responded to tie it up, she only did that twice and never got out in front. After the tie at the end of game #2, Fisher won three straight. Tkach came back with two, Fisher got another and Tkach won another two to create the second tie at 5-5. Fisher got out in front by two again, before Tkach chalked up her sixth and final rack. Fisher closed it out 9-6 for a second shot against Barretta.

 

The assembled were expecting a second double hill fight between the two ladies left standing. The race to 11 didn’t pan out that way, although it came close. Fisher took advantage of her second opportunity and downed Barretta 11-8 to claim her first (recorded) event title since she defeated Ga Young-Kim in the finals of the WPBA’s Ho-Chunk Classic in September of 2018.

 

From her home in Charlotte, NC a couple of days later, Fisher commented about her win and the prospect of future wins for her and players like her, like Jennifer Barretta, who's eight months younger than she is.

 

"It's like your own personal battle," she said. "You're constantly wondering 'Can you do it again?' 'Is it ever going to happen?' All those things go through your mind."

 

"There's not as much (time) distance (from former major victories) with me," she added, "but I was a prolific winner and as time goes on, you question and doubt. You're competing with yourself in personal growth."

 

Fisher is also assigning value to other considerations in her life; specifically her time at home with her family, which she noted she had not had much of in her past. Now, she's finding herself elevating that time on a priority scale above shooting pool. She has found that this shift in priorities tends to elevate the significance of each accomplishment.

 

"I don't play a lot these days, because some things (events) are not worth the time to be away from my family," she said. "I don't expect to be competing in 10 years time, so any victory is very valuable to me."

 

Concurrent Amateur/Open events take center stage

 

Kudos to Brian Champayne, who coordinated this long and multi-faceted event, which, as noted at the outset, included four other tournaments, including two which drew more entrants than the main event.

 

Up first on Thursday, January 2 were the Amateur Men’s and Women’s 9-Ball events. In the Men’s event, Tyler Edey and Kevin Osborn battled twice to claim the title. Edey won the first 7-1 to claim the hot seat. Osborn came back after downing Joe Spence 6-4 in the semifinals to defeat Edey 9-7 in the final and claim the Amateur Men’s 9-Ball title. Regene Lane went undefeated to grab the Women’s Amateur 9-Ball title. She and Cindy Nana fought a double hill hot seat match that eventually sent Nana to the semifinals, where she defeated Jenny Lucas 5-2. Lane defeated Nana a second time, this time 7-3 in the final to claim that 9-ball title.

 

On Friday, January 3, Tyler Edey was also in the finals of the most heavily-attended event of the long weekend, the Men’s 8-Ball, which drew 73 players. Edey was sent to the loss side in a double hill, winners’ side quarterfinal, as Stephen Holem advanced to the hot seat, downing Mike Robinson 6-1 in the winners’ side final. Edey worked his way back through five loss-side opponents, including a double hill win over Robinson in the semifinals to face Holem in the finals. Holem completed his undefeated run with a 7-4 victory over Edey.

 

In the Women’s 8-Ball event, which drew 56 entrants, Bonnie Plowman and Tasha Thomas battled twice, hot seat and finals, to determine the winner. Plowman, who finished undefeated, took the hot seat match 5-3, and when Thomas returned from a 4-2 victory over Jana Montour in the semifinals, defeated her a second time 6-4 to claim the event title.

Cole returns NWPA Stop #1 favor, defeating Jones to claim Stop #2

Liz Cole (Courtesy of Sandro Menzel)

It was the same finalists, with a reverse result. For the second time on the 2017 Northwest Women's Pool Association (NWPA) Tour, Liz Cole and Kim Jones battled it out for a title. On Stop #1 in February, Jones downed Cole in the finals. On the weekend of April 29-30, at Stop #2, the $750-added Martha Hartsell Memorial Tournament, that drew 36 entrants to The Cue Ball in Salem, OR, Cole bested Jones in the final to complete an undefeated run. Selected matches were streamed live throughout the weekend by Rail2Rail Productions. 
 
In addition to the repeat performance in the finals, the event featured the return of Canadian Jana Montour, a former regular on the tour, who took about three years off from competitive pool to pursue further education. A mother of five, ranging in age from nine to 26, Montour decided that she needed time away from being a housewife, and traveled down from Canada to sign on to the NWPA's second tour stop in Salem, OR. In spite of the years off, she took fourth in the event, and said she was looking forward to getting back into the sport on a more regular basis.
 
Following victories over Alicia Kvaanika, Patricia Tipton, and Marian Poole (with an aggregate score of 21-9), Montour squared off against Jones (28-13 at that point) in a winners' side semifinal. In the meantime, Cole (21-8), squared off against Stephanie Hefner (21-10). Those four would finish first through fourth at the end. Cole and Hefner locked up in a double hill fight that eventually sent Cole to the hot seat match. She was joined by Jones, who'd defeated Montour 7-4. Cole took the first of her two against Jones 7-4.
 
On the loss side, Montour picked up Cindy Doty, who'd downed Rebecca Sivter and Natasha Hook 6-4 to reach her. Hefner drew Suzanne Smith, who'd defeated Fran Johnson 6-2, and Valerie Franiel 6-4. Hefner got by Smith 6-2, and, in the quarterfinals, faced Montour, who'd eliminated Doty 6-2.
 
Hefner ended Montour's return to the tables 6-4 in those quarterfinals, before being herself eliminated by Jones, double hill in the semifinals. Though Jones would come within a single shot at the 9-ball from forcing a deciding game, Cole completed her undefeated run with a 9-7 victory over Jones in the final.
 

Montour goes undefeated to win third NWPA Tour stop

Jana Montour and Kim Jones have been trading alternate victories on the Northwest Women’s Pool Association Tour since March. On the tour’s fifth stop, on the weekend of August 11-12, with their victories even at two apiece, it was Montour’s turn to win it, and she did, defeating Kimberly Kirk twice – once in the hot seat match and again in the finals – to complete an undefeated weekend. The $750-added event drew 31 entrants to Parlor Billiards in Bellevue, WA.

Montour started strong, giving up only two racks in her first three matches; none versus Fran Johnson and one each versus Jenny Lucas and Alicia Kvasnicka. This set her up among the winners’ side final four, facing Liz Cole (going into the event, ranked at # 3 on the tour, directly behind Montour and Jones). Suzanne Smith (# 6), in the meantime, who’d defeated Elaine Eberly 7-3, Tamre Rogers 7-4 and sent Kim Jones west 7-5, squared off against Kirk.

Montour advanced to the winners’ side finals with a 7-4 victory over Cole, as Kirk sent Smith packing 7-5. Montour then downed Kirk 7-4, and sat in the hot seat, awaiting her return.

Kim Jones, at work on the loss side, was looking to come back for a third finals battle against Montour in the current season. She began that journey with a 6-2 victory over Denice White, and followed it with a 6-3 victory over Val Franiel. This set Jones up to face Cole. Smith drew Shelby Locati (# 7 in tour rankings), who’d gotten by Mary Hopkin 6-2 and Tamre Rogers 6-3. 

Jones and Cole battled to double hill before Jones prevailed to advance to the quarterfinals. She was joined by Locati, who’d ended Rogers’ day 6-3. Locati ended Jones’ bid to meet Montour again in the finals by the same 6-3 score. It was a day for 6-3 scores, as Kirk downed Locati by that same score in the semifinals.

A win for Kirk would have elevated her from 17th place in the tour rankings into a tie for fifth place with Suzanne Smith. It was not to be. Montour chalked up the event title with a 9-6 victory, solidifying her top spot in the rankings. Kirk moved among the top ten, settling in at # 7. 

Jones comes from the loss side to win NWPA stop

Kim Jones and Jana Montour have been trading victories on the Northwest Women’s Pool Association Tour since March. Montour opened the season with a win in March. Jones chalked one up in April, and then went on to win the Regional Tour Championships in May. Montour won the tour’s third stop in June. On the weekend of July 14-15, Jones won five on the loss side, including a victory over Montour in the semifinals, before defeating local favorite, Phyllis Fernandez in the finals. The $500-added event drew 27 entrants to Black Diamond Billiards in Spokane, WA.

Jones won her first two matches, against Alisha Rogers and Tayla Makus, before running into Mary Hopkin. They battled to double hill before Hopkin prevailed, moving among the winners’ side final four to face Montour. Fernandez, in the meantime, had opened her bid by surviving a double hill match against Adrianne Beach (double hill). She then defeated Alicia Kvasnicka and Joyce Robinson to move among the winners’ side final four and a match versus Shelby Locati.

Montour sent Hopkin west double hill, as Fernandez was busy sending Locati over 7-2. The battle for the hot seat went double hill, with Fernandez coming out on top of Montour, and waiting in the hot seat for the return of Jones. Montour’s appearance in the hot seat match allowed her to maintain her top spot in the NWPA tour rankings (just ahead of Jones) no matter what the outcome from that point on.

On the loss side, Jones defeated Fran Johnson 6-1 and Sandra Badger 6-3 to pick up Locati. Hopkin drew Kimberly Kirk, who’d gotten by Trinh Lu in a double hill match and Julie Valdez 6-4. Kirk prevented a Jones/Hopkin re-match with a 6-2 win over Hopkin, as Jones downed Badger 6-3.

Jones survived a double hill battle against Kirk in the quarterfinals, and turned to face Montour. A win for Montour would have guaranteed an extension of the point lead for her in tour standings, but Jones won it 6-3 for a chance to meet Fernandez and narrow that tour-leading gap to 45 points.

In the single race-to-9 finals that followed, Jones reached the hill, three games ahead, which is when it got interesting. Fernandez won the 14th and 15th rack to pull within one. In the 16th rack, Fernandez rattled the 8-ball in a corner pocket, leaving it right there for Jones. Jones, from up-table, put it in, but came back straight, up and down-table square on the 9-ball. She tried to poke it into the corner pocket, but not only did it rattle in that pocket, the cue ball came around the table and dropped into a hole.

“I tried to put bottom on it to avoid the scratch,” said Jones, “but when the 9-ball rattled in the pocket, the cue ball came around and headed to that other pocket.”

With ball in hand, Fernandez sunk the 9-ball to knot things at double hill.

Fernandez scratched on her subsequent break. Jones stepped to the table and forced a first foul on Fernandez. When Jones got the ball back, she did it a second time. With ball in hand for the third time, she forced Fernandez to kick long at the 1-ball. Fernandez shot at the short rail, and not only safely touched the 1-ball, but put it in. Jones would regain control of the table, and stepped up later, shooting at the 9-ball. It dropped readily, but the entire room went silent, as the travelling cue ball worked its way down (very slowly) toward a diagonal corner. It just did touch the long rail and bounce away safely, securing the event victory for Jones.

“I’d played it so it wouldn’t scratch,” she said of that final shot, “but in that moment (as the cue ball drifted toward the corner), I couldn’t celebrate the win until I was sure.”

Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff of Black Diamond Billiards, as well as sponsors Billiards 911, Cue Tracker, and Horizon Rentals. They also thanked Rail2Rail Productions for their live stream of the event. Next stop on the NWPA Tour is scheduled for August 11-12 at The Parlor in Bellevue, WA.

Montour maintains NWPA top ranking with undefeated win on third tour stop

Jana Montour (File photo courtesy of Ray Lassilat)

Jana Montour has advanced to the hot seat in all three of the Northwest Women’s Pool Association Tour stops this year, and won two of them. She began in March with a victory over Liz Cole. In April, her advancement to the hot seat, included a victory over Kim Jones, who came back from the loss side to defeat her in the finals. At the latest stop on the weekend of June 16-17, Montour, once again, sent Jones to the loss side, but this time, when she came back, Montour hung on to win and complete an undefeated weekend. The $750-added event drew 28 entrants to Malarkey’s in Tacoma, WA.

Montour and Jones met first in the third round. Montour had received a bye and defeated Sandy Badger. Jones had gotten by Sheila Clark and Cindy Sliva. In that first meeting, Jones got to the hill, ahead by five games. Montour roared back, and won six in a row.  That win put Montour among the winners’ side final four, where she faced Shari Ross. Suzanne Smith, in the meantime, met up with Deby Welfringer. A double hill win for Welfringer set her up for the hot seat match against Montour, who’d defeated Ross 7-5. Montour sent Welfringer to the semifinals 7-2, and awaited her second straight final against Jones.

Jones moved over and defeated Kathy Stanley 6-1 and Mary Hopkin 6-2 to draw Smith. Ross drew Liz Cole, who’d defeated Badger, double hill and  Kit Dennis 6-1. Ross ended Cole’s day 6-4, and in the quarterfinals, met up with Jones, who’d downed Smith 6-3. Jones then defeated Ross, 7-5 and earned her second chance versus Montour with a 6-4 win over Welfringer in the semifinals.

As had happened in their earlier match, Jones took an early lead in the race-to-9 finals. She was up by four games before Montour got on the board. Each then won a game to make it 5-2, Jones. Montour then won four straight to take her first lead, and another to go up 7-5. Jones won a game to pull within one.

Montour won the 14th rack to reach the hill first. Jones took the 15th rack to pull back within one, but Montour closed it out with a victory to complete her undefeated weekend. The victory left Montour atop the NWPA tour rankings, with Jones right behind her.

Defending Champion Allison Fisher Heading to the WPBA US Open Finals

Allison Fisher

TULSA, OK – Results are in for today’s first semi-final matchup between the #1 and #2 seeds in the WPBA US Open 9-Ball Championships taking place this week at the River Spirit Event Center. ESPN cameras rolled as Monica Webb and Allison Fisher, two veteran champions, took the stage.  

Monica took the first point in the race to seven, but Allison quickly answered with two games of her own. Monica won the next three to lead 4-2. In the seventh game, Allison missed a surprising five ball in the corner that put Webb back at the table to extend her lead 5-2.  
 
Allison picked up the next game to trail 5-3, and then another to trail 5-4 when Monica ended up short on a nine ball and missed a cross-side bank. She then broke and ran out to tie the match 5-5, and again to get to the hill, 6-5! 
        
With no shot after the break, Fisher was forced to push out. A safety battle ensued but Fisher got first look at a long, sharp cut on the one. She nailed that, and proceeded to execute a tricky rack to take the win 7-5! Webb finishes tied for third place. 
 
Next up: Gerda Hofstatter plays Jeanette Lee at 3 p.m. to determine who will face Fisher in the finals.     
  
The quarter final, semi final and final matches will be broadcast by ESPN in seven one-hour national shows, airing Saturday, July 14, (Quarterfinals 12-4pm on ESPN2) and Sunday, July 15, (Semifinals/Final 1-4pm on ESPN2).   
 
Fans and media can keep up with ongoing results at http://www.wpba.com/images/stories/brackets/2012_us_open.pdf Refresh the link for the most up-to-date results — scoring updates will take place throughout the day’s play!   
 
Schedule of Events:
Sunday, June 10 at 3 pm and 5 pm
ESPN Semifinal #2 and Final (Tix are $20 general admission, $25 VIP)     

It’s all taking place at the River Spirit Event Center, adjacent to the River Spirit Casino at 81st and Riverside in Tulsa.  
Tickets are just $20 on June 9th and 10th!  VIP tickets are available for $25. Visit www.riverspirittulsa.com/entertainment/eventcenter for tickets and more information!  
 
Final Results – 64 Players 
Champion:
__________________
2nd 
__________________
3/4th
__________________
Monica Webb 
5/8th
Helena Thornfeldt, Brittany Bryant, Line Kjorsvik, Mary Rakin
9/12th
Melissa Herndon, Kim Shaw, Jennifer Barretta, Jennifer Chen
13/16th 
Jana Montour, Teruko Cucculelli, Angelina Paglia, Vivian Villarreal
17/24th 
Stacy Novack, Ewa Laurance, Jessica Barnes, Janet Atwell, Sara Miller, Emily Duddy, Brianna Miller, Liz Ford
25/32nd 
Vicki Paski, Belinda Calhoun, Susan Williams, Kim Pierce, Megan Smith, Kim White-Newsome, Cathy Metzinger, Rhonda Pierce
33/48th
Cheryl Pritchard, Carrie Williams, Emilyn Callado, Morgan Steinman, Brittany Colbert, Kelly Cavanaugh, Lisa Just, Joanne Ashton, Eleanor Callado, Melissa Little, Susan Mello, Kathy McMinn, Lori Jones, Erin McManus, Liz Cole, Laura Smith  
49/64th
Suzanne Smith, Michelle McDermott, Kayla Batson, Eugenia Gyftopoulis, Tonya Wiser, Delia Mocanu, Tamre Rogers, Teresa Gifford, Jessica Karacia-Human, Nicole Keeney, Melinda Huang, Stephanie Goens, Shari Ross, Pauline Mattes, Barbara Lee, Tina Hess  

WPBA US Open Final Twenty Four

TULSA, OK – The WPBA US Open 9-Ball Championships at the River Spirit Event Center in Tulsa continued with eight more matches on the one-loss side of the double elimination chart. Winning players are matching up evening session play against losers of Round Three. Losing players below finish 25th – 32nd. 
    
Elimination Round Three (Defeated Players Eliminated) 
Jana Montour d. Vicki Paski 9-4
Monica Webb d. Belinda Calhoun 9-1
Teruko Cucculelli d. Susan Williams 9-6
Janet Atwell d. Kim Pierce 9-4
Mary Rakin d. Megan Smith 9-4
Emily Duddy d Kim White-Newsome 9-6
Brianna Miller d. Cathy Metzinger 9-5
Liz Ford d. Rhonda Pierce 9-2

Fans and media can keep up with ongoing results at http://www.wpba.com/images/stories/brackets/2012_us_open.pdf (refresh the link for the most up-to-date results!)  
 
Schedule of Events:
Friday, June 8 at 10 am
Double elimination play in day and evening sessions
Saturday, June 9 at 1 pm
ESPN Quarterfinals (Tix are $20 general admission, $25 VIP)
Sunday, June 10 at 1 pm
ESPN Semifinals and Final (Tix are $20 general admission, $25 VIP)
The quarter final, semi final and final matches will be taped by ESPN for seven one-hour national broadcasts, airing Saturday, July 14, (Quarterfinals 12-4pm on ESPN2) and Sunday, July 15, (Semifinals/Final 1-4pm on ESPN2).    

It all takes place at the River Spirit Event Center, adjacent to the River Spirit Casino at 81st and Riverside in Tulsa.  
Tickets are just $10 on June 8th and $20 on June 9th and 10th!  VIP tickets are available for $25. Visit www.riverspirittulsa.com/entertainment/eventcenter for tickets and more information! 

WPBA TV Rounds Set

TULSA, OK – The WPBA US Open 9-Ball Championships at the River Spirit Event Center in Tulsa continued with late evening sessions to narrow the field for tomorrow’s quarterfinals.  
 
Arriving to the final eight undefeated were defending champion Allison Fisher (right), with a 9-3 victory over Jennifer Barretta; national junior champ Brittany Bryant over Taiwan’s Jennifer Chen 9-3; Norway’s Line Kjorsvik over Californian Melissa Herndon 9-5, and Gerda Hofstatter, six months pregnant with her second child, over Atlanta’s Helena Thornfeldt 9-4!
 
Battling through the one loss side to earn a spot in the final eight were Monica Webb, with wins over Jana Montour and a 9-8 thriller over Melissa Herndon; Helena Thornfeldt with a 9-2 victory over Great Britain’s Kim Shaw; former junior champ Mary Rakin with convincing wins over Phoenix’s Angelina Paglia 9-5 and New York’s Jennifer Barretta 9-3; and Jeanette Lee, with a narrow 9-7 victory over the “Texas Tornado” Vivian Villarreal and an even narrower victory over Taiwan’s Jennifer Chen 9-8.  
 
Quarter final matches begin at 1:00 p.m. CST between Fisher and Thornfeldt. 
 
Fans and media can keep up with ongoing results at http://www.wpba.com/images/stories/brackets/2012_us_open.pdf Refresh the link for the most up-to-date results — live scoring will take place throughout the day’s play!   
 
Schedule of Events:
Sunday, June 10 at 1 pm
ESPN Semifinals and Final (Tix are $20 general admission, $25 VIP)
The quarter final, semi final and final matches will be taped by ESPN for seven one-hour national broadcasts, airing Saturday, July 14, (Quarterfinals 12-4pm on ESPN2) and Sunday, July 15, (Semifinals/Final 1-4pm on ESPN2).    

It all takes place at the River Spirit Event Center, adjacent to the River Spirit Casino at 81st and Riverside in Tulsa.  
Tickets are just $20 on June 9th and 10th!  VIP tickets are available for $25. Visit www.riverspirittulsa.com/entertainment/eventcenter for tickets and more information! 

First eliminations from WPBA US Open

TULSA, OK – The WPBA US Open 9-Ball Championships at the River Spirit Event Center in Tulsa have whittled the field down to 48 players from the original 64. The first sixteen players were eliminated after two consecutive losses. Here are the results of the first round in the one loss bracket. Winning players are matching up in day session play today and another sixteen players will soon say farewell to their US Open title hopes… 
    
Elimination Round One (Defeated Players Eliminated) 
Jana Montour d. Suzanne Smith 9-2
Carrie Williams d. Michelle McDermott 9-6
Emilyn Callado d. Kayla Batson 9-3
Morgan Steinman d. Eugenia Gyftopoulous 9-5
Brittany Colbert d. Tonya Wiser 9-0
Kelly Cavanaugh d. Delia Mocanu 9-8
Kim Pierce d. Tamre Rogers 9-3
Janet Atwell d. Teresa Gifford 9-0
Megan Smith d. Jessica Karacia-Human 9-2
Melissa Little d. Nicole Keeney 9-2
Susan Mello d. Melinda Huang 9-7
Kathy McMinn d. Stephanie Goens 9-3
Shari Ross d. Lori Jones 9-8
Brianna Miller d. Pauline Mattes 9-4
Rhonda Pierce d. Barbara Lee 9-4
Liz Ford d. Tina Hess 9-4

Fans and media can keep up with ongoing results at http://www.wpba.com/images/stories/brackets/2012_us_open.pdf (refresh the link for the most up-to-date results!)  
 
Schedule of Events:
Friday, June 8 at 10 am
Double elimination play in day and evening sessions
Saturday, June 9 at 1 pm
ESPN Quarterfinals (Tix are $20 general admission, $25 VIP)
Sunday, June 10 at 1 pm
ESPN Semifinals and Final (Tix are $20 general admission, $25 VIP)
The quarter final, semi final and final matches will be taped by ESPN for seven one-hour national broadcasts, airing Saturday, July 14, (Quarterfinals 12-4pm on ESPN2) and Sunday, July 15, (Semifinals/Final 1-4pm on ESPN2).    

It all takes place at the River Spirit Event Center, adjacent to the River Spirit Casino at 81st and Riverside in Tulsa.  
Tickets are just $10 on June 8th and $20 on June 9th and 10th!  VIP tickets are available for $25. Visit www.riverspirittulsa.com/entertainment/eventcenter for tickets and more information!