The first Semifinals got underway at 1:00pm Central time, with Tournament Director Steve Tipton warming up the crowd prior to our first two Semifinalists entering the arena. For Kelly Fisher, 2009 has been a let-down compared to last season where she won 2 WPBA Titles and finished the year at #1, earning her the 2008 Player of the Year award. For Jeanette Lee, it’s been over 8 years since her last WPBA Title and she was hungry to earn her spot in the finals.
Kelly Fisher won the lag and after pocketing a ball, had a straight in shot on the 1 using the bridge. Playing on the beautiful $40,000 Brunswick Exposition table, Kelly calmly ran the rack to take the first game. Jeanette headed into game two with the break intending to match Kelly’s effort. After pocketing a ball, she was forced to shoot over the 5 ball stretched out for the 1 in the corner and made it easily. Her resulting position on the 2 was a long cut shot that came up just short, leaving it open for Kelly to take advantage of the miss. Although Kelly pocketed the two she missed shape on the 3, snookering herself behind the four. She kicked the short rail, leaving Jeanette with a long shot down the side rail that she made, but position on the four was tricky into the side pocket. Jacking the cue stick up slightly, she confidently pocketed the ball with perfect position on the 5. Jeanette realized the gift she’d been given and proceeded to finish off the rack and we were tied at 1 all.
Kelly broke in game 3, but failed to make anything. However, Jeanette didn’t have an open shot on the one and was forced to play a safe. Kelly could see the one and returned the favor to Jeanette, but snookered her solidly behind the 5 ball. Jeanette is very good at kicking and played a great kick safety, forcing Kelly to jump the cue ball. The one was sitting next to the two ball and although Steve called it good, Kelly knew that in fact she’d hit the 2 ball first and called the foul on herself. Jeanette nodded her appreciation, saying "Thanks Kelly" as the crowd applauded her honesty.
Jeanette took ball in hand knowing she’d have to contend with the four ball that was sitting right next to the 8 ball. She hit the four sending it up table while stopping the cue ball dead on the rail. Kelly did have an open shot but it wasn’t easy, the full length of the table but cut it in dead center pocket. The cue ball hit the 5 ball and it rolled in front of the 6, but Kelly played the pretty combination gaining perfect position back for the 5 and ran out the rest of the rack to go up 2-1. It must have been the good karma from calling that foul on herself.
Jeanette came to the table for game four with the break but failed to make a ball. Kelly came to the table looking to tie the match up but faced a bit of a tricky layout, needing to play army pool from one side to the other. She came up a touch short for the 8 ball but nailed a short rail bank into the corner an capped off the run out with the 9 in the opposite corner pocket. The score was now 3-1. Kelly broke, made a ball but missed a long one ball shot. She left Jeanette a very long one/3 combination (the 3 was sitting in the pocket) but she barely missed it. Kelly didn’t have an open shot either and her safety attempt came up short as Jeanette stepped back up to begin running out. Her position to the two was awkward, with the two near the side pocket for a cut down the rail and although she made the 2, her cue ball scratched into the side. Kelly took ball in hand and ran out, now up 4-1. Jeanette made nothing on her break, leaving Kelly jacked up over the 6 ball for a long shot on the 1. She successfully made the ball but her cue ball came all the way back down table, just stopped short of scratching! She was forced to kick at the 2 since the cue ball stuck behind the pocket point and hit it. Jeanette played a safe, with Kelly attempting a return safety but the two ball went farther than Kelly anticipated and Jeanette had an open, but long shot that she missed badly. Kelly pocketed the two and made a 3/9 combination to take a 5-1 lead over the now disconcerted Jeanette Lee.
Kelly broke in game 7 and although she made a ball, the one had no pocket. There was an easy safety play, and Jeanette frowned as she surveyed her kicking options. She chose to go two rails, missing the two ball entirely giving Kelly ball in hand and the chance to reach the hill in this match. However, Kelly missed the 4 ball and Jeanette played a great safe to get an open shot after Kelly missed, allowing her to run out and try to start her climb back into this match, still down 2-5.
Jeanette broke and although she made a ball was forced to push out. Kelly played a very poor safety shot, leaving Jeanette the opportunity for a great safety or to bank the 1 into the side. She opted for the bank shot but came up short and left Kelly with a straight in shot on the 1 into the corner, allowing her to begin a run out for the hill. She came up a little short on the 8 ball, but slow rolled it in for shape on the 9 and the 6-2 lead. She also enjoyed the break advantage in game 9. She made two balls on the break with shape for the 2 ball (the 1 had been sunk). She made the two, then a great 3-4 combination and that was all she wrote, running out to reach the finals, 7-2.
