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Sweep Dreams, Europe!
Dec 8, 2006, 4:58 PM

Team Europe will roll into Saturday's matches at the 13th Mosconi Cup in Rotterdam, Holland, brimming with confidence and holding a three-match lead after clubbing Team USA with a three-game sweep Friday night at the Cruise Terminal.

Not only did Europe win all three singles matches Friday evening, but did so in stunning fashion. The Euros opened the singles play with its two rookies, Spain's David Alcaide and England's Imran Majid. Alcaide battled U.S. Open champ John Schmidt in a spirited, tight match, emerging with a tension-packed 7-5 win.

Majid, the animated, cocky Brit, then shocked error-prone Johnny Archer by a lopsided 7-2 score. Europe's hottest player, World Pool Championship runner-up Ralf Souquet of Germany, then posted an identical margin against Corey Deuel. Souquet played a flawless match, opening up the table beautifully with each break and successfully pocketing balls off jump shots twice.

Team USA, fractured by a lack of team unity, faces an upfill battle Saturday, which begins with three doubles matches in the afternoon, followed by three evening singles matches. Team USA's Earl Strickland, Rodney Morris and Mike Davis were all absent from Friday evening's matches.