Jasmin Ouschan Wins Pacific Coast Classic

After Jasmin defeated perennial champ Allison Fisher and Xiaoting Pan defeated Karen Corr in the semifinals, it was down to just two players vying for the 9-Ball crown at Chinook Winds Casino in Lincoln City, Oregon. For Xiaoting Pan, this was her first chance to win a WPBA Tour event since 2008. For Jasmin, this was her opportunity to win her second title of this year. Both came into this match undefeated and both were shooting the lights out.

Xiaoting won the lag and ran out to post the first game of the match, up 1-0. Jasmin broke in game two but came up dry but Xiaoting missed the 2/4 combination, giving Jasmin another chance at the table. The layout was wide open, and she went on to run out and tie the match at 1 all.

Xiaoting had the break in game 3, pocketing a ball and finding a relatively easy layout on the table as a result. 2-1 Xiaoting's advantage. Jasmin had the break in game 4, and after pocketing a ball, made tough shape from the 1 to the 2 ball. She made a great cut shot on the 2, avoiding the scratch in the side and gained great shape on the 4 to continue running out. Shape on the 5 was less than ideal but she thin cut it in, coming around 3 rails for the 6, culminating with the 9 to tie it up at 2 all.

Xiaoting broke in game 5, but was forced to push out and Jasmin made a great bank shot on the 1 to continue through the layout and ran out to go up 3-2. Jasmin had the break advantage in game 6 and pocketed the 8 ball with tough position on the 1 ball. She played a safe, sending the cue ball up table to nestle behind the 5. Xiaoting tried the 3 rail bank shot but missed by a wide margin giving Jasmin ball in hand who ran out to take a 2 game lead, up 4-2. Xiaoting broke, but came up empty, a short safety battle ensued and during Xiaoting's attempt at a safety on the 1 ball, she knocked in the 9 to get back within one game, down 3-4.

Jasmin broke but failed to make a ball, but Xiaoting had no shot. Her safety came up short but a miss by Jasmin on the six ball let Pan tie up the match at 4 all. Xiaoting broke in game 9 but came up dry and left Jasmin an open shot to start her run. She made the 1 but was forced to play a safety on the 2 ball, which Xiaoting missed. Jasmin ran out to regain a one game lead, up 5-4. Jasmin came up dry on her break, and Xiaoting had an open shot on the 1 but missed the 2 ball. Jasmin stepped back to the table facing the choice between a difficult cut shot into the side pocket or a safety for the 2 ball. She opted for the cut and missed it but didn't leave Xiaoting pretty as the object ball came to rest on the opposite side rail just below the side pocket. Xiaoting tried a reverse cross bank but missed, and Jasmin had another chance at the table. She tried to duck the cue ball behind the 5/8 but Xiaoting could see enough of the ball to play safe although that effort came up short, too. Jasmin scratched off the 2 ball, and with ball in hand, Xiaoting went for an unusual 2/9 carom. The 2 was about 10" off the bottom rail, with the 9 ball sitting another 8" above that in line with the corner pocket way up-table and Xiaoting aimed for the strange carom, and the crowd oohed and aahed as the 9 went straight in traveling 8'.

5-5 and Xiaoting broke, making the 6 ball. She missed a tough cut on the one ball, and left it wide open for Jasmin to take advantage of the error. To her frustration, her shape to the 4 ball was straighter than she'd wanted it and in trying to cheat the pocket with draw, she missed the ball. Xiaoting stepped up and also missed the ball, leaving it a duck in the pocket. Jasmin made the 4 but snookered herself behind the 7. She could see half the 5 and executed a beautiful short jump shot, with position on the 7. Her force follow came up short on the 8 which was just off the bottom rail, and she had a choice of a bank, or a safety as her coach, Michael, looked on in concern. She chose the safety. Xiaoting's return safety came up dry leaving Jasmin a bank shot which she missed. Luck was on Jasmin's side though as the cue ball slowly rolled right up under the 9, giving Xiaoting nothing more than a one long rail kick shot. Xiaoting made the hit, but the 8 rolled up for perfect position for Jasmin who ran out and reached the hill in the most tense of all the games, 6-5.

Jasmin broke in game 13 and although she made a ball, missed the 2 ball playing position for the 4. Xiaoting was left to play a one rail kick slider on the ball and made it with great position to the 4. She took a quick look at the 6 which was tied up awkwardly with the 9, and missed the 4, leaving a 4/9 combination after she'd knocked away the 6 ball. Jasmin stepped up, shook the nerves out and made the 4/9 to win her second tournament of the year!