Qualifier for Clark's Win

Taking the win undefeated o­n the New England Women's Classic 9-Ball Tour, Carol Clark won not o­nly first place but also qualified to play in an upcoming WPBA event.  The tour held the qualifier at The Renaissance Club in Quincy, MA, o­n August 28, 2004, that drew a small field that was full of determined ladies. 

Tournament director Stacey Lantz and Melanie Balisano met in the quarterfinal match.  Both played well, with lots of safeties by Balisano, which allowed her to take the lead quickly.  Lantz pulled herself back from a 3-1 deficit to take the match 7-4.

The meeting of the last two standing o­n the winners' side was Clark and Caroline Pao, who took an early lead.  But after returning from a break, Clark seemed rejuvinated and won six straight games to win the match 7-4. 

Pao went to the o­ne-loss side to face Lantz in the semifinal match, where again she took a quick 4-1 lead.  It looked like Lantz was losing focus and the match, but Pao gave her the chance she needed to get back in the game when she missed the 8 ball.  Clearing the table, Lantz went o­n to tie it up by making the 9 o­n the break and executing a 9-ball combo in the rack after that.  The control was hers, and she went o­n to win the match 7-5.

In an exciting start, Lantz and Clark kept things neck and neck until a break was called.  Seeming to get a fresh burst of energy while o­n the break, Clark came back to the table in fine form, seeming not to be able to miss a shot, and took the 7-4 win.

Results:

1st Carol Clark $110

2nd Stacey Lantz $85

3rd Caroline Pao $50

4th Melanie Balisano $40

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