WPBA Great Lakes Classic / Michigan City, IN
After a grueling day of elimination and single-elimination rounds, the WPBA’s latest tour stop at the Great Lakes Classic has revealed its final four players. The event is being hosted by the Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City, IN.
The full 64-player field wound down to its final 16 players Saturday evening before it went into its single-elimination format. There Yu Ram Cha, who had just ousted reigning WPBA points leader Monica Webb 9-6, bested Gerda Hofstatter in a hill-hill bout to advance to play Karen Corr. “The Irish Invader” made a triumphant return from the one-loss side after a third-round loss to Jasmin Ouschan 9-6, since besting Helena Thornfeldt 9-4. Corr managed to keep her momentum going, ousting Cha 9-7 to head off to the semifinals.
Ouschan enjoyed an undefeated run to the semifinals, having gone through opponents such as Cristina De La Garza 9-3, Line Kjorsvik 9-5, Karen Corr 9-6, and Pam Cimarelli 9-8, only to face off against Ga Young Kim in the quarterfinals. Kim had also had an undefeated stretch, going through Ming Ng 9-3, Stacy Novack 9-5, and Jeanette “The Black Widow” Lee 9-4 to reach the final 16. There she bested Tracie Hines 9-6, only to be sent packing by Ouschan by a strong 9-3 score in their quarterfinal match.
Ouschan will face off against Corr while Pan and K. Fisher battle to earn their spots in the finals of the WPBA Great Lakes Classic.
Vivian Villareal went undefeated to the quarterfinals, besting Kathleen Moon 9-5, Liz Cole 9-4, Tracie Hines 9-7, and Kim Shaw 9-7. However, she was turned away by Xiaoting Pan with a whopping 9-2 final score in the quarterfinals. Pan also went through unchallenged, besting Liz Taylor 9-6, Jennifer Barretta 9-4, Melissa Herndon 9-2, and Laura Smith 9-1.
The last quarterfinal match on the bracket was a battle between two Fishers as defending champion Allison Fisher ultimately succumbed to Kelly Fisher. Both players went through the bracket undefeated—A. Fisher defeating Candi Rego 9-3, Angelina Paglia 9-2, Gerda Hofstatter 9-4, and Jeanette Lee in a hill-hill match, while K. Fisher bested Michell Monk 9-2, Megan Smith 9-2, My-Hahn Lac 9-5, and Julie Kelly 9-3. When they finally clashed, K. Fisher was able to send 2009 BCA Hall of Fame inductee A. Fisher home with a 9-4 score.
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