Saturday, 10 December 2011

2011 Mosconi Cup: Day Three

Day Three kicked off with a doubles match, Shawn Putnam and Mike Dechaine against Darren Appleton and Niels Feijen. The American duo got off to the better start, taking a 2-0 lead. But that was overturned by Appleton and Feijen to give themselves a 3-2 lead. USA missed the chance to level by missing the 1-Ball and setting up a 1-9 combo shot which was taken and Europe then made it 5-2 courtesy of a fluked 2-Ball. USA couldn't reduce the arrears and Europe went onto win the first match 6-3. Making it Europe seven USA four.

Appleton and Putnam stayed at the table as they battle it out in a repeat of the 2011 US Open, which Appleton won. Putnam had full control in the first rack but he went onto miss the 9-Ball, allowing Appleton to take the lead. Putnam was awarded a lifeline straight away as Appleton scratched off the break. Again Putnam made a mistake in the third rack by missing the 2-Ball and Appleton kept the match going against the break. Putnam made his third unforced error of the match with a scratch to leave Appleton 4-1 ahead. Then it was Appleton's turn to make a unforced error after missing the 5-Ball and Putnam managed to pull it back to 4-2. But an illegal break followed by a foul helped to restore the three rack lead. Appleton won the match 6-2 to extend Europe's overall lead to 8-4.

Niels Feijen returned to the table in game three as he and Ralf Souquet took on Rodney Morris and Johnny Archer. The first three racks went with break but Morris scratched off his break in the fourth rack to give Europe a 3-1 lead. Archer and Morris couldn't find anything to break the hold and the European duo won the match 6-2. Europe now lead 9-4.

The penultimate match of the day saw the battle of the vans, Shane Van Boening against Nick Van Den Berg. Van Boening took a 2-0 lead before Van Den Berg levelled the scoreline. Van Boening regained his two rack lead before Van Den Berg recovered the match to 5-5. Van Den Berg had the break in the final rack but hit a dry one. Van Boening eventually won the final rack to make sure there was going to be a day four in this year's Mosconi Cup, 9-5 in Europe's favour.

The final match of the night saw the two débutantes, Mike Dechaine and Chris Melling, take to the table. The first four racks went with break before Chris Melling was able to take a 3-2 lead. From there Melling took control and won the match 6-2 to give Europe a commanding 10-5 lead at the end of day three. Europe need just one point tomorrow to win the 2011 Mosconi Cup.

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