Well...I am still alive...I'm sure some of you thought I had disappeared forever. With bad judgement I decided not to take my computer on the trip to Vegas. I was remembering last year that there was no high speed connection at the Riviera. As soon as I got in this year I realized that the Riviera now has high speed access....oops!
So my trip started on May 14th....it was a nightmare start with a room mix-up and a missing roommate. We finally got things figured out and waited around for the players meeting on the 15th.
The draw was done and I found out that I was set to play....my missing roommate...Rachael Abbink. No one had heard from her and everyone was in a frenzy trying to find her and find out if she was going to make it or if the spot could be filled by the players on the waiting list. So 6pm rolled around and still no word from her. I ended up getting to play for 15 minutes on my table and winning the match by forfiet. That led to me getting to sit around yet another day and getting to play at 10:30pm monday.
Anyone that saw me that night and day probably thought I was nuts. I was so antsy to get a chance to play. It was like a big tease...getting to watch everyone else play and me having to wait until the last round of the night to play my first match. By the time the match rolled around against Akimi Kajitani...I was toast. I couldn't make a ball. I was so disappointed in myself. My mental game was horrible and I had chances in every game. I lost the match 9-6.
The long road through the loser's bracket then began....it started with Ikumi Ushiroda. Ikumi lost a very tough, close match to Allison Fisher the night before. It was a close match until 5-5. Fortunately for me, she made some mistakes at the end of the rack and allowed me to pull ahead. From there I got a little confidence and a little more used to the tables. I pulled out the win 9-6.
The next match wasn't any easier....Romana Dokavic. We both started out horribly. We both had ball in hand twice in the first game and neither one of us could figure out how to make a ball. It was a close until I was up 4-3. Romana made some critical errors that let me get ahead and from there I ran with it and won the set 9-4.
Then for the second time this year it was the battle of Azbilliards...Melissa Herndon and myself. All I can say is my break was working and without it I would not have won. I found the right spot to break from and made 2-5 balls everytime I broke and got a shot everytime. Melissa was up 8-7 and missed a 7ball that allowed me to make it hill-hill. In the hill-hill game Melissa broke and had to push. I played a safety and got ball in hand on the one ball. I was so nervous it felt like it took forever to run out. I held it together and ran out to win 9-8. Mel...I hate having to play you. I hope next time we play it is in the finals.
My final match of the tournament was against the World Champion, Ga Young Kim. I was a little nervous going into the match. I had never played her before. Neither of us really made mistakes. We each missed maybe 2 or 3 balls. My big fault was terrible safety play. In a critical game to make the score 5-4 I made a tough 9ball but scratched in the side. That made the score 6-3. I didn't give up and came back 7-7, but she broke and ran out to make it 8-7. On my break I had a tough shot on the one with tough position on the 2. I made the one but hooked myself on the 2. I kicked and just barely missed making it but I left the table wide open for her to run out.
So I finished the week with my best finish so far this year...13th. I am hoping that I can stay confident and be ready for the next tournament. I had a rough start to the year...but things are looking up.
I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to make it to the AZ party. I really wanted to get a chance to meet more people. It was nice to meet those of you that I did get a chance to meet and those of you that I have met before it was nice to see you again.
For those of you that thought that I disappeared...I'm sorry to worry you. I decided to stay in Vegas through the VNEA tournament. That was quite an experience. The Valley players really love that tournament. It was a week long party. Everyone was extremely friendly. It was nice getting to meet so many people from other countries.
Again, my apologies on this update taking so long. Thank you all again for your support.
Take care,
Sarah
So my trip started on May 14th....it was a nightmare start with a room mix-up and a missing roommate. We finally got things figured out and waited around for the players meeting on the 15th.
The draw was done and I found out that I was set to play....my missing roommate...Rachael Abbink. No one had heard from her and everyone was in a frenzy trying to find her and find out if she was going to make it or if the spot could be filled by the players on the waiting list. So 6pm rolled around and still no word from her. I ended up getting to play for 15 minutes on my table and winning the match by forfiet. That led to me getting to sit around yet another day and getting to play at 10:30pm monday.
Anyone that saw me that night and day probably thought I was nuts. I was so antsy to get a chance to play. It was like a big tease...getting to watch everyone else play and me having to wait until the last round of the night to play my first match. By the time the match rolled around against Akimi Kajitani...I was toast. I couldn't make a ball. I was so disappointed in myself. My mental game was horrible and I had chances in every game. I lost the match 9-6.
The long road through the loser's bracket then began....it started with Ikumi Ushiroda. Ikumi lost a very tough, close match to Allison Fisher the night before. It was a close match until 5-5. Fortunately for me, she made some mistakes at the end of the rack and allowed me to pull ahead. From there I got a little confidence and a little more used to the tables. I pulled out the win 9-6.
The next match wasn't any easier....Romana Dokavic. We both started out horribly. We both had ball in hand twice in the first game and neither one of us could figure out how to make a ball. It was a close until I was up 4-3. Romana made some critical errors that let me get ahead and from there I ran with it and won the set 9-4.
Then for the second time this year it was the battle of Azbilliards...Melissa Herndon and myself. All I can say is my break was working and without it I would not have won. I found the right spot to break from and made 2-5 balls everytime I broke and got a shot everytime. Melissa was up 8-7 and missed a 7ball that allowed me to make it hill-hill. In the hill-hill game Melissa broke and had to push. I played a safety and got ball in hand on the one ball. I was so nervous it felt like it took forever to run out. I held it together and ran out to win 9-8. Mel...I hate having to play you. I hope next time we play it is in the finals.
My final match of the tournament was against the World Champion, Ga Young Kim. I was a little nervous going into the match. I had never played her before. Neither of us really made mistakes. We each missed maybe 2 or 3 balls. My big fault was terrible safety play. In a critical game to make the score 5-4 I made a tough 9ball but scratched in the side. That made the score 6-3. I didn't give up and came back 7-7, but she broke and ran out to make it 8-7. On my break I had a tough shot on the one with tough position on the 2. I made the one but hooked myself on the 2. I kicked and just barely missed making it but I left the table wide open for her to run out.
So I finished the week with my best finish so far this year...13th. I am hoping that I can stay confident and be ready for the next tournament. I had a rough start to the year...but things are looking up.
I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to make it to the AZ party. I really wanted to get a chance to meet more people. It was nice to meet those of you that I did get a chance to meet and those of you that I have met before it was nice to see you again.
For those of you that thought that I disappeared...I'm sorry to worry you. I decided to stay in Vegas through the VNEA tournament. That was quite an experience. The Valley players really love that tournament. It was a week long party. Everyone was extremely friendly. It was nice getting to meet so many people from other countries.
Again, my apologies on this update taking so long. Thank you all again for your support.
Take care,
Sarah
