Janet Atwell and Buffy Jolie have finished first and second at stops on the MissCues Regional Ladies Tour three times this year, twice consecutively, including the most recent stop on Saturday, September 9. Insufficiently publicized as a qualifier for the WPBA Masters Tournament, the $500-added event drew only 11 entrants to Bank Shot Billiards in Louisville, KY.
Atwell drew a bye in the opening round, and then, over the next four matches, including the finals, gave up only seven racks. She allowed Samantha Patton to chalk up three of those seven in the second round, and moved among the winners' side final four for a meeting with Stephanie Goens. Jolie, in the meantime, squared off against Jessica Human. Atwell got into the hot seat match with a 5-1 victory over Goens, and was joined by Jolie, who'd survived a double hill match versus Human. Atwell sat in the hot seat after giving up only a single rack to Jolie.
Human moved to the loss side, where she picked up Patton, who'd been awarded a bye and then, after trailing 0-3, defeated Melody Kuty 5-3. Goens drew Chelsea Hardwick, who'd defeated Reni Rose 5-1 and come back from a 3-2 deficit against tour director Becky Todd to prevail in a double hill match.
Patton and Hardwick made it a short, loss-side visit for Human and Goens with Patton downing Human, double hill, and Hardwick eliminating Goens 5-3. Hardwick took the quarterfinal match 5-2, and came within a game of the finals when she fell, double hill, to Jolie in the semifinals.
Atwell gave up the last two racks of the seven she'd allowed, overall, in the finals against Jolie. She completed her short, undefeated run 7-2 to capture the event title and earn qualification for the WPBA Masters Tournament.
There are two stops left on the MissCues Regional Ladies Tour. The next stop, a $250-added (minimum) event will be held on October 13-14 on 9-ft. tables at 8-Ball Sports Bar & Billiards in Columbus, OH.
