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2008 World Cup of Trick Shots - Semifinal #1 Europe Nick Nikolaidis USA Tom Rossman
 Europe Shot #1 Europe - 1 USA - 0 Nick Nikolaidis started the match off selecting this massive stroke shot. With the cue ball frozen to a line of five object balls, the objective was to pocket the five object balls in the corner, get the cue ball to jump over a bridge, draw back and spin around the table to come back and hit the helper rack and knock the hanging ball in the corner pocket. Nikolaidis completed his shot with ease. Tom Rossman took USA's attempt at the shot, but was clearly less comfortable with it, unable to spin the cue ball enough to get it around. USA Shot #1 Europe - 2 USA - 1 Rossman challenged back with this shot requiring extra coordination. With five object balls on the table, he needed to jump each of them off of the far side rail, catch them in mid-air, and then deposit them in the side pocket. He successfully accomplished the shot with mechanical precision. Ralph Eckert, making his World Cup debut, came up Europe's attempt. He too executed the shot, although not quite as cleanly as Rossman, but style points didn't count for anything more.   Europe Shot #2 Europe - 2 USA - 2 Eckert decided to pull out a speed masse shot to extend the lead. The shot was to shoot a pacing cue ball around the table three rails. During its journey, two object balls needed to be masse'd around a rack and beat the cue ball to the corner pocket. The shot's a bit more difficult because there's no time to chalk up between the masses. Eckert was unable to gain a point for Europe. Mike Massey came on for team USA and showed how the shot was done to pull the score level. USA Shot #2 Europe - 3 USA - 2 Massey followed with another masse shot, this one a jump masse. The cue ball had to jump out of a rack, go beyond the 2nd diamond, marked by a bridge, and then spin back to pocket a ball in the corner pocket. Massey overpowered his attempts though and was unable to get enough spin on the cue ball to get it back. Nikolaidis was up to the task however, and restored Europe's one point advantage.  USA Shot #3 Europe - 4 USA - 3 Following misses on Europe's third challenge, Rossman put one of his signature shots on the table, the Starburst. With five clusters of three balls each, each ball had to be made into a separate pocket within a certain time limit. Having to air bridge for the first four clusters doesn't make it any easier. Rossman stuck his stamp down and nailed the shot. Eckert was able to repeat the shot though, keeping Europe in front.   Europe Shot #4 Europe - 4 USA - 4 Eckert picked out another type of speed shot for Europe's fourth challenge. The cue ball gets paced around the table three rails. In the meantime, one ball is shot into the side pocket and another into the corner pocket. However, before it gets to the corner pocket, the cue ball is re-hit, while it's moving, into the corner pocket first. The whole shot must also be done with an air bridge. Eckert was unsuccessful, leaving the door open for the USA. Massey came up and rocketed the shot in to draw level again. USA Shot #4 Europe - 5 USA - 5 Team USA's fourth challenge was the first partner shot of the match. This was the Two Man Weave where the cue ball is volleyed back and forth between row of balls before finally knocking in a hanging ball in the corner pocket. Both team USA and Europe were able to weave their way to a point on this challenge, keeping the score knotted at 5.   Europe Shot #5 Europe - 6 USA - 5 In keeping the weave theme going, Nickolaidis picked a one man, one-handed version. The cue ball was knocked back and forth between some cups, tossing the cue between his hands, before finally pocketing a ball in the side pocket. Nickolaidis showed some great coordination in completing the shot. Massey was a little more clumsy, but just missed on the last hit. USA Shot #5 Europe - 7 USA - 6 Massey popped back with one of his strengths, a massive stroke shot. The cue ball pockets a ball in the side pocket and banks back and forth across the table before spinning down into the cue stick and pocketing two extra balls hanging in the corners. Massey nailed it, earning a point for the USA. Eckert came up and showed no fear in juicing up the cue ball, keeping Europe ahead.  USA Shot #6 Europe - 8 USA - 7 Rossman picked out this jump shot for the USA's next challenge. A blocking ball was propped up on a piece of chalk with the cue ball only a balls width away. The cue ball had to be popped up over the blocking ball to knock in the hanging ball in the corner pocket. It took him a couple attempts, but he hit it. Nickolaidis, no slouch at jump shots himself, also took a couple attempts at it, but was able to complete the shot too.   Europe Shot #7 Europe - 8 USA - 7 Staying with jump shots, Nickolaidis picked out this series of six one-handed jumps through a spinning rack. He never really got all that far though and left the door open for the USA to pull even. Massey, however, was unable to take advantage. USA Shot #7 Europe - 8 USA - 8 Feeling the pressure to equalize, Massey again picked out a stroke shot, a massive two table length draw. Hitting it low and hard, he juiced the cue ball up and brought it back and forth to knock in the ball in the corner pocket. Eckert, for Europe, couldn't duplicate and the match was tied up. 
 Europe Shot #8 Europe - 8 USA - 8 Trying to regain the lead, Europe challenged with a team jump shot. Three balls were hit under a rack propped up on two columns of three pieces of chalk. The second team member had to jump each of the balls up and through the rack and in to the corner pocket. Eckert served the balls up to Nickolaidis for Europe. Just as it look like they were going to take the lead, Nickolaidis rattled the last ball. The USA was unable to complete the shot either, leaving the match up to the last shot. USA Shot #8 Europe - 8 USA - 9 Rossman pulled out this tricky speed shot for this final shot. The cue ball flips a bag over, banks off the rail and flips the bag over a second time, comes out and into a positioned box, and rolls back into the bag. With unnerving calmness, Rossman nailed the shot putting the pressure squarely on Eckert and Europe. After trying to get the speed down though, Eckert was unable to get the ball to roll back in the bag the final time, handing the USA a thrilling victory and one point heading in to the final. 
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