Jennifer Kraber
In the absence of last year’s winner, Ricki Lee Casper, last year’s runner-up, Jennifer Kraber, stepped up and won the second Ladies tournament of the 4th Annual Texas Open 10-Ball Championships, held on the long weekend of February 15-19. Ming Ng finished as runner-up, while last year’s third-place finisher, Gail Eaton, finished in the same spot. The $1,000-added event drew 32 entrants to Skinny Bob’s Billiards in Round Rock, TX.
Kraber faced different opponents in the hot seat and finals of this event; Eaton in the hot seat match, and Ng, in the finals. Kraber advanced through Michelle Cortez. Liz Galvan, and Audrey Arcelli to arrive at a winners’ side semifinal against Kelly Isaac. Eaton downed Nancy French, Ileana Ford, and Kim Pierce (double hill) to face Chris Fields in the other winners’ side semifinal.
Kraber got into the hot seat match with a 7-1 victory over Isaac. Eaton survived a double hill match against Fields to join her. Kraber defeated Eaton 7-5 and sat in the hot seat, waiting on the return of Ng.
On the loss side, Ng, who’d been defeated by Fields in a winners’ side quarterfinal, got by Yvonne Asher 5-2 and Kim Sanders (tied for 5th last year) 5-1, to draw Isaac. Fields picked up Cortez, who’d been defeated by Kraber in the opening round of play, and was on a six-match, loss-side winning streak that would take her as far as the quarterfinals. She’d most recently defeated Angelina Almaraz, double hill, and Audrey Arcelli 5-2.
Ng downed Isaac 5-3, as Cortez was spoiling Fields’ hopes for a rematch versus Ng, with a 5-1 victory. Ng then ended Cortez’ loss-side streak 5-3 in the quarterfinals. She advanced to spoil Eaton’s plans for a re-match against Kraber with a 5-1 victory over her in the semifinals.
Kraber completed her undefeated run with a 7-5 victory over Ng in the finals.
