Mosconi Cup – Day 4 Recap Europe 11 – USA 5 How Team Europe Completed its Romp to the Mosconi Cup I tried to be optimistic on the Team USA prospects for an upset in my preview of the final day of play by outlining a scenario in which they could reach double hill, which would have set up the decider – most likely between Darren Appleton and Shane Van Boening. But as it turned out, the deciding match was likely the first one of the day between these two when Appleton dusted off Van Boening, 5-2. For the record, the Mosconi Cup officially ended when Nikos Ekonomopoulos ran over Van Boening by the same score in the second match. Here is how the two matches unfolded: Match 1 - Darren Appleton 5 - Shane Van Boening 2 Game 1 – Appleton started off strongly with a B&R. Europe 1 – USA 0 Game 2 – Van Boening answered with a B&R. Score tied at 1-1. Now things got ugly for Team USA. Game 3 – Van Boening missed a bank and Appleton made the 6, then fanned in the 7-ball (see the video!) and got out. This could arguably have been the defining shot of the finals. Europe 2 – USA 1 Game 4 – Van Boening made two balls on the break, slow rolled in the first ball (he couldn’t do much with it) and left himself a long and jacked up safety. He missed the hit, gave up BIH, and Appleton ran the remaining six balls. Europe 3 – USA 1 Game 5 – Appleton failed to make a ball on the break, but left Van Boening hooked. He pushed out, Appleton refused, and Van Boening tried to clip the side of the 1-ball on his kick but missed, giving up BIH. Appleton ran six balls to an easy 7-9 combo and pocketed it. Europe 4 – US 1 Game 6 – Van Boening made two balls on the break and ran out. Europe 4 – USA 2 Game 7 – Appleton made two balls on the break, then pocketed a long shot on the 2-ball into a partially blocked pocket, broke a cluster, and ran out for the win. Europe 5 – USA 2 Match 2 - Nikos Ekonomopoulos 5 - Shane Van Boening 2 Game 1 – Ekonomopoulos won the lag, which turned out to be huge in this short race as he broke and ran three times in four tries – including the opener. Europe 1 – USA 0 Game 2 – Van Boening made two balls, but had to play safe. Ekonomopoulos forced Van Boening to kick and he left a shot, but Ekonomopoulos accidently made two balls on one shot, was forced to play a long rail bank, missed, and Van Boening got out. Score tied, 1-1. Game 3 - Ekonomopoulos broke and ran to a tough shot off the rail on the 8-ball, but coolly rolled it with shape on the 9-ball for the win. Europe 2 – USA 1 Game 4 – Van Boening made a ball on the break, then a tough opening shot, but hooked himself, kicked, and missed again.Ekonomopoulos took BIH and ran out. Europe 3 – USA 1 Game 5 - Ekonomopoulos made a ball on the break, played safe, but left Van Boening a shot and he executed a world class run out! Europe 3 – USA 2 Game 6 – Van Boening failed to make a ball on the break, Ekonomopoulos tried to play a safety, but left Van Boening with a shot – and he responded with a super shot on the 1-ball. He appeared to be cruising to a win when he missed an easy shot on the 6-ball on a road map to the 9-ball. He later would fan in the 8-ball, but missed a tough cut on the 9-ball, leaving Ekonomopoulos with a relatively easy shot. Europe 4 – USA 2 Game 7 - Ekonomopoulos made three balls on the break and ran out to secure the match and the Mosconi Cup for Team Europe. Europe 5 – USA 2
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 14:47:25 +0000
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