For Xiaoting Pan, this was her first chance to win a WPBA Tour event since 2008. For Jasmin, this was her opportunity to win her second title of this year. Both came into this match undefeated and both were shooting lights out. Xiaoting won the lag and ran out to post the first game of the match, up 1-0.
Jasmin broke in game two but came up dry but Xiaoting missed the 2/4 combination, giving Jasmin another chance at the table. The layout was wide open, and she went on to run out and tie the match at 1 all.
Xiaoting had the break in game 3, pocketing a ball and finding a relatively easy layout on the table as a result. Methodically she pocketed each ball and soon it was now 2-1 Xiaoting’s advantage. Jasmin had the break in game 4, and after pocketing a ball, made tough shape from the 1 to the 2 ball. She made a great cut shot on the 2, avoiding the scratch in the side and gained great shape on the 4 to continue running out. Shape on the 5 was less than ideal but she thin cut it in, coming around 3 rails for the 6, culminating with the 9 to tie it up at 2 all. Xiaoting broke in game 5, but was forced to push out and Jasmin made a great bank shot on the 1 to continue through the layout and ran out to go up 3-2.
Jasmin had the break advantage in game 6 and pocketed the 8 ball with tough position on the 1 ball. She played a safe, sending the cue ball up table to nestle behind the 5. Xiaoting tried the 3 rail bank shot but missed by a wide margin giving Jasmin ball in hand who ran out to take a 2 game lead, up 4-2. Xiaoting broke, but came up empty, a short safety battle ensued and during Xiaoting’s attempt at a safety on the 1 ball, she knocked in the 9 to get back within one game, down 3-4. Jasmin broke but failed to make a ball, but Xiaoting had no shot. Her safety came up short and Jasmin began running out till she got to the 6 ball. As she tried for her draw shot off the 6, she miscued, leaving a shot for Xiaoting who ran out to tie up the match at 4 all.
Xiaoting had the break in game 3, pocketing a ball and finding a relatively easy layout on the table as a result. Methodically she pocketed each ball and soon it was now 2-1 Xiaoting’s advantage. Jasmin had the break in game 4, and after pocketing a ball, made tough shape from the 1 to the 2 ball. She made a great cut shot on the 2, avoiding the scratch in the side and gained great shape on the 4 to continue running out. Shape on the 5 was less than ideal but she thin cut it in, coming around 3 rails for the 6, culminating with the 9 to tie it up at 2 all. Xiaoting broke in game 5, but was forced to push out and Jasmin made a great bank shot on the 1 to continue through the layout and ran out to go up 3-2. Jasmin had the break advantage in game 6 and pocketed the 8 ball with tough position on the 1 ball.
She played a safe, sending the cue ball up table to nestle behind the 5. Xiaoting tried the 3 rail bank shot but missed by a wide margin giving Jasmin ball in hand who ran out to take a 2 game lead, up 4-2. Xiaoting broke, but came up empty, a short safety battle ensued and during Xiaoting’s attempt at a safety on the 1 ball, she knocked in the 9 to get back within one game, down 3-4. Jasmin broke but failed to make a ball, but Xiaoting had no shot. Her safety came up short and Jasmin began running out till she got to the 6 ball. As she tried for her draw shot off the 6, she miscued, leaving a shot for Xiaoting who ran out to tie up the match at 4 all. Xiaoting broke in game 9 but came up dry and left Jasmin an open shot to start her run. She made the 1 but was forced to play a safety on the 2 ball, which Xiaoting missed. Jasmin knew she had to take advantage of this opportunity and ran out to regain a one game lead, up 5-4.
Jasmin came up dry on her break, and Xiaoting had an open shot on the 1 to begin with, in this rack. She missed the 2 ball badly though, and Jasmin stepped back to the table facing the choice between a difficult cut shot into the side pocket or a safety for the 2 ball. She opted for the cut and missed it but didn’t leave Xiaoting pretty as the object ball came to rest on the opposite side rail just below the side pocket. Xiaoting tried a reverse cross bank but missed, and Jasmin had another chance at the table. She tried to duck the cue ball behind the 5/8 but Xiaoting could see enough of the ball to play safe although that effort came up short, too. Jasmin scratched off the 2 ball, and with ball in hand, Xiaoting went for the unusual shot of the 2/9 carom. The 2 was about 10” off the bottom rail, with the 9 ball sitting another 8” above that in line with the corner pocket way up-table and Xiaoting aimed for the strange carom, and the crowd oohed and aahed as the 9 went straight in traveling 8’ away and we were tied again at 5 all. Xiaoting broke in game 11, making the 6 ball. She had a very, very tough cut on the one ball, which she missed badly and left it wide open for Jasmin to take advantage of the error.
To her frustration, her shape to the 4 ball was straighter than she’d wanted it and in trying to cheat the pocket with draw, she missed the ball. Xiaoting stepped up and also missed the ball, leaving it a duck in the pocket. Jasmin made the 4 but snookered herself behind the 7. She could see half the 5 and executed a beautiful short jump shot, with position on the 7. Her force follow came up short on the 8 which was just off the bottom rail, and she had a choice of a bank, or a safety as her coach, Michael, looked on in concern. She chose the safety although Xiaoting could see about ¼ of the ball as a result. Xiaoting’s return safety came up dry leaving Jasmin a bank shot which Jasmin missed. Luck was on Jasmin’s side though as the cue ball slowly rolled right up under the 9, giving Xiaoting nothing more than a one long rail kick shot. Xiaoting did hit the ball, but the 8 rolled up for perfect position for Jasmin who ran out and reached the hill in the most tense of all the games, 6-5.
Jasmin broke in game 13 and although she made a ball, missed the 2 ball playing position for the 4. Xiaoting was left to play a one rail kick slider on the ball and made it with great position to the 4. She took a quick look at the 6 which was tied up awkwardly with the 9, and missed the 4, leaving a 4/9 combination after she’d knocked away the 6 ball. Jasmin stepped up, shook the nerves out and made the 4/9 to win her second tournament of the year! Dee Pigsley; Chairperson of the Siletz Tribe of Oregon, presented our winner and runner up with their custom made Pendelton blankets and blown glass trophy bowls. Many thanks go out to Chinook Winds Casino Resort, especially Josh Blacketer and Kelli Duhamel of the Marketing Department. The staff here at the casino was wonderful and treated our staff and players well. The shot clock volunteers provided by Merle & Boomer Humphries were a fantastic group of people and we hope to see them next year!
Thanks to our sponsors; The American Poolplayers Association, Aramith, Brunswick, Cuetec, Pooldawg.com, Mueller Recreational Products and Simonis Cloth, for their continued support of the WPBA. Next up; the final tournament of the season, the 2009 WPBA Tour Championships at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, November 11-15, 2009. See you there!
