Saturday night at the Atlanta Billiard show found us down to the sweet sixteen in the WPBA Atlanta Classic. At this point it was all single elimination and the match-ups were getting tough. Kim Shaw was our first winner of the round as she eliminated Helena Thornfeldt 9-4. Meanwhile, the most exciting match in the room was between Gerda Hoffstatter and Ga-Young Kim. They were tied at seven apiece in their race to 9. Kim took the next two racks to win the match 9-7 after Gerda had been up 5-1 early on.
Just up the room, Ewa Laurance was giving Jasmine Ouschan all she could handle and led their match 7-5 to show that old-school pool still has its power. Ewa sewed Jasmine up with a nice safety in the next rack but Jasmin pulled out a jump shot to make the ball and allow her to clear the rack to bring the score up tight at 7-6. Laurance came right back to take the next rack, however, and owned the hill at 8-6. Ouschan played her safety game to best advantage in the next rack and won that to bring it close again at 8-7. In the next rack Ewa looked good by banking the 6 back into the side but then a straight-in long seven hung in the jaws and allowed Ouschan to claw another one back to tie it on the hill with Laurance breaking. Laurance broke dry. At the end of a nip and tuck rack, Ewa played a great safety that left Jasmin a table away from the seven ball and with only the edge of the seven visible. It was all she needed. She made that one great shot and then cleared out the 8 and 9 to take the match 9-8.
Kelly Fisher was shooting her usual powerful game and eliminated Kyoko Sone 9-5 and Karen Corr laid the same disappointment on Liz Ford. Allison Fisher beat Tamara Radamaker 9-5 as well. 9-5 seemed to become the favored scoreline of this round. Line Kjorsvik showed no fear against Xiatang Pan and found that score also to be of favor as she dominated their match and took down the powerful Chinese lady 9-5. To finish out the round, Monica Webb bested Naomi Williams 9-6.
This created the great eight round. This round featured Karen Corr vs Kelly Fisher, Kim Shaw vs Line Kjorsvik, Monica Webb vs Ga-Young Kim and Jasmine Ouschan vs Allison Fisher. The winners of this round would find themselves on ESPN on Sunday. After thirty minutes of play, Jasmine Ouschan led Allison Fisher 4-2, Monica Webb and Ga-Young Kim were tied at 5 apiece, Kim Shaw led Line Kjorsvik 6-1 and Kelly Fisher was ahead of Karen Corr 5-4.
The first player to reach the hill in this round was Ga-Young Kim when she led Monica Webb 8-6. But Monica fought hard in the next rack, took it, and narrowed the margin to 8-7. At the same time, Kim Shaw earned her 8th bead to gain the hill 8-3 over Line kjorsvik. Kelly FIsher led Karen Corr 7-5 and Jasmine Ouschan led Allison Fisher 7-3. Within moments Monica Webb had won over Ga-Young Kim 9-8 and the ovation from the crowd was long and loud.
Ouschan reached the hill next. At 8-4 it looked pretty grim for the Fisher fans. But Fisher never quits a match early and soon the score was 8-6. And then 8-7. We had a match to sweat! Not for long though as Ouschan cleared the next table and retired Allison from the tournament.
When Kelly Fisher got to the hill she had established an 8-6 lead over Karen Corr and looked really strong. But the alternate break format meant Corr would have her chances and you never count your eggs early against Corr. Corr won the next one to draw within one. Safeties became the order of the day as neither player wished to make the big error. Corr completed the comeback to make it double-hill. Kelly Fisher came to the table on the three ball to find the 9-ball in the path of the cue ball after contact. She sized it up and fired. The 9-ball found the corner pocket and she took the match with one heckuva carom shot.
Kjorsvik was fighting back. From down 6-1 she had crawled back to 8-6. She could see the light from here. When she won the next it was 8-7 and the crowd was feeling the comeback. The feeling would not last as Shaw sank the next nine to win 9-7.
Sunday will find Kim Shaw playing Monica Webb while Jasmine Ouschan will face Kelly Fisher in the first round.
