Terry Petrosino, Kim Pierce, Yvonne Asher and Gail Eaton
Gail Eaton, a.k.a. “Virginia Slim”, secured her fourth Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Billiards Tour victory of the season, overcoming Terry “The Terrorizer” Petrosino in the finals, 7-1, 5-4. In a second round match-up, Petrosino sent Eaton to the one loss side, 7-5, and went on to secure the hot seat over Yvonne Asher, 7-5. Eaton came back, winning nine matches, and reaffirming her number one ranking, on the Gulf Coast Tour.
On June 10th, 2017, female pool players from across Texas and Louisiana converged on Bogies Billiards and Sports Bar in Houston, Texas, to compete in the one-day, $500 added, 9-ball event, searching for their place in Gulf Coast Tour history. Room owners David and Shannon Richardson, along with tour sponsors Cyclop Pool Balls Facebook.com/CyclopPoolBalls, Ozone Billiards OzoneBilliards.com, APA of North Harris County Facebook.com/APANorthHarrisCounty, Outsville Billiards, and Jimmy Jenkins Realty, facilitated another successful event for the women of the Gulf Coast Tour, the sixth stop of eleven events scheduled this year. The WPBA sanctioned regional tour has already amassed 82 player members, surpassing its entire 2016 membership, and anticipates breaking 100 members, this year!
On the edge of securing her first tour title, Terry Petrosino took out Dallas’ Cindy Cole, Gail Eaton, 7-5, and newcomer Laurie Clouette, 7-4, while Natalie Rocha bested Gail “Thunder” Roles, 7-2, and Loretta “The Gem” Lindgren, 7-1. Yvonne Asher was on a role, ousting San Antonio’s Marilina “Big M” Nieves, 7-4, Kim “Texas Heat” Pierce, 7-6, and Round Rock’s Veronica “Pistol” Perez, 7-6, while Tiffany Mundie surged, with wins over Julie Enzensperger, 7-6, Bonnie Mason, and D’Andrea McQuirter, 7-2. As the final four took shape, one loss action was underway. After suffering a first round blow at the hands of Petrosino, Cole came back to win four matches, eliminating Hopey Carter, 5-3, Bonnie Mason, Terri Resendez and Loretta Lindgren by the same score, 5-3, while Pierce ousted Amber Keithley, 5-1, and Clouette, 5-4. Nieves took out Roles, 5-2, Liz Yorek, 5-0, and McQuirter, 5-3, while Eaton sent home Julie Enzensperger, 5-1, Toni “Copperhead” Estevez, 5-0, and Perez, 5-1. As the final four on the one loss side rounded out, winners’ side actioned witnessed Petrosino overcome Rocha, 7-4, and Asher defeat Mundie, 7-3. Petrosino was on a roll, overcoming Asher for the hot seat, 7-5, drawing one step closer to victory. Back on the west side, Pierce overwhelmed Cole, 5-0, and Eaton ended Nieves, 5-2. Eaton went on to defeat Pierce and Asher by the same score, 5-2, to meet Petrosino in the finals. In the first set, Eaton came on strong, winning 7-1, but Petrosino wasn’t quite ready to relinquish the throne. In the second set, Petrosino answered back, but it was too little too late, as an unforced error sealed her fate, ending the set, 5-4.
The tour welcomes its newest member, Laurie Clouette, of Houston, Texas. Laurie is not only a player, she is also the administrative assistant to Houston’s own, Jerry Olivier Cue Repair. The tour would like to congratulate Yvonne Asher, who secured one of her best finishes to date, and commend all the players who reached a career milestone at this event.
The Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Billiards Tour is open to amateur, female players of all ages. The top 32 WPBA Exempt Professionals are not eligible to participate. The next Gulf Coast Tour 9-ball event will be held on August 26th, 2017, at Bogies Billiards West, 9638 Jones Road, in Houston, Texas. This event will be played on 8’ tables with Cyclop Pool Balls. Free practice begins at 10am, and the mandatory players’ meeting begins at 11am. For more information about the WPBA sanctioned, Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Billiards Tour, visit GulfCoastWomensTour.com.
The Women’s Professional Billiard Association (WPBA) is the governing body of women’s professional billiards in the U.S. The Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Billiards Tour is a sanctioned, WPBA Regional Tour, part of the grass roots system that feeds the WPBA Pro Billiards Tour. Amateur, female players, who aspire to improve their game, and perhaps reach the pinnacle of the sport of billiards, can do just that through a WPBA Regional Tour. As a WPBA Regional Tour Member, players gain access to WPBA Pro Event Qualifiers and earn valuable WPBA Regional Tour Points which count toward earning invitations to the annual WPBA Regional Tour Championship and WPBA Pro Events. Whether it’s simply to challenge yourself, improve your game, or become a recognized professional, support and become a part of the longest-running, women’s sports organization in the U.S., the WPBA.
If you are interested in starting a WPBA Regional Tour in your area, or participating on a WPBA Regional Tour, please contact the WPBA Office at 1.855.FOR.WPBA or visit www.WPBA.com.
