Team NY with Tony Robles, Jennifer Barretta, and Caroline Pao came together in the end to win in a very close match up against Korea's Yu Ram CHa, Charlie Williams, and Bo Ram Cha. The event was held at Amsterdam Billiards in Manhattan, NY.
Yu Ram Cha, who hours earlier won the Womens Amateur Championship event in Valley Forge, took on Barretta in a race to 7 match. Fatigue from playing early in the day and adjustment to the big table again seem to throw Cha off while Barretta played her normal steady game. Barretta controlled the match to win 7-4.
"I feel like I'm swimming!" exclaimed Cha at the size of the regulation 9 ft table after coming off the 7 ft tables.
At the same time, Pao and Bo Ram Cha were battling it out on the opposite table. Pao had the lead early until Cha tie the match at 5-5. Then Cha took over and won 7-5 decision.
It was now 1-1 NYC and Korea.
Robles would take on Williams next in a race to 9. Williams broke out to an early lead and Robles had problems making balls on break. Williams played fast and solid and built a insurmountable lead of 7-2 before winning the final score of 9-4.
Korea 2-1 against NYC
Doubles were next with Cha and Williams against Robles and Barretta. Williams and Cha made some elementary errors while Robles and Barretta played in perfect sync to win 6-4.
The tie breaker would be a 3-on-3 match with all 3 players on both teams playing alternate shot. NYC just seemed to be unstoppable as Robles coached his ladies perfectly to win the match 5-2.
Final score, NYC 3 wins to Team Korea's 2 wins.
Simonis Cloth, Stu Mattana, Harold Siegel, Greg Hunt and Predator Cues were the main sponsors of the event. Thanks to William Fuentes for the great photographs.
