Michelle Trevino
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At Metro Sportz Bar in northern Phoenix, dozens of women players vied for a coveted paid spot into the BCA Enjoypool.com Championships coming up this May at the Riviera Hotel and Casino.
This is the first time qualifier spots were allocated by the WPBA for this particularly popular professional event. Held concurrently with the BCA National 8-Ball Championships, the Playpool.com pro event is unique in several aspects. First it is the only professional event where the men and women pros play side by side and two, due to the plethora of amatuer and semi-pro players participating in the BCA 8-Ball catagories, this tournament has a high level of spectator turnout. It is a great time, on great equipment, with great and knowledgable fans and in the always fun city of Las Vegas.
The usual suspects from all over the state were participating, Susan “Mad Hatter” Mello, Susan Williams, Kristen Haney, Holly Sholes, Diana Clayton, just to mention a few. However, it was diminuative Michelle Trevino from Tucson and former US Amatuer National Champion and AWBT Board Member, Kristie Ortega who found themselves in the finals.
Ortega has recently brought her former skills out of a seven year playing hiatis and has been reminding several people the stroke and abilities she possess that made her a champion a decade ago. The finals were close as Ortega took the first set 7-4. Coming from the one loss side, Ortega would need to beat Trevino two sets to seven in order to win the spot. Trevino, who’s mantra was, “I am going to win this” all day while sitting on the hot seat was whole heartedly determined to win this qualifier. Flustered by the first set loss to Ortega, Trevino came to the second set with a reknewed sense of that steely resolve. While both players showed some signs of fatiguque and nerves, it was Trevino who prevailed winning the trip to Vegas.
