Europe Win Mosconi Cup

Europe have celebrated a sixth straight victory in the Mosconi Cup after beating the USA 11-7 in a closely fought encounter in Las Vegas.

Europe went into the tournament as favourites and found them 3-2 ahead after the first day. Although USA won the team match, Europe fought back with Karl Boyes and Nick van der Berg winning a doubles match before Europe’s star player Niels Feijen won his singles match 5-2 against Justin Bergman. USA went on to win the next doubles match to level the scores, before Darren Appleton beat Shane van Boening 5-1 to give Europe an opening day advantage.
Day two started with an American victory in a doubles match, before Albin Ouschan won his singles match. Appleton and Karl Boyes then won their doubles match, before Boyes beat Skyler Woodward to put Europe in control of the tournament. The American pair of van Boening and Mike Dechaine beat Appleton and van der Berg 5-4 in the final match of the day, although it was Europe who ended day two with a 6-4 lead.

Feijen and Ouschan thrashed the American double pairing of Bergman and Corey Deuel 5-1 to put Europe on the brink of victory. Although America won the next singles match, Europe won the next two matches as Boyes and Ouschan beat Dechaine and Woodward and Feijen won his singles match against van Boening. America won the final match of the day to keep the tournament alive, but it was Europe who lead the tournament 9-6 going into the final day.

Europe secured the title as Feijen secured yet another point, this time beating Bergman 5-4. Van Boening beat Boyes 5-4 in the penultimate match of the tournament, before Ouschan beat Woodward 5-4 to secure another point for Europe. After the tournament Feijen was named as the Most Valuable Player for the third year in a row.