The players on the Sac State Billiards Club focus on beating Causeway Classic rival UC Davis during local tournaments, and winning individual national titles at larger competitions.

The members of the club hope to bring more colleges in the competition circuit of pool playing.

In November, Association of College Unions International, also known as ACUI, held their 9-ball billiard regionals at Fresno State. The tournament attracted players from different schools across the region of California and Nevada.

Three members of the Sac State Billiards Club placed in the competition. Each player was placed in divisions depending on his or her level of play.

Cindy Ho placed third, Dillon Scheive placed seventh, and the president of the club, Carter Herrmann placed second.

Herrmann’s success earned him a spot in the 2013 national competition at Las Vegas.

 “It’s just cool to be a part of. It’s nationals, wow,” Herrmann said.

Even though Herrmann beat Scheive last year at regionals in Fresno, Scheive won first place in Las Vegas during last year’s Association of College Unions International national tournament.

Both started out playing pool with friends in their spare time, and enjoyed it so much they wanted to take it a step further.

Some of the Billiards members like to get away from the demands of their lives and relax.

“It’s a time where I can relax and get away from school and just hang out with my friends,” Michael Le said.

The club mostly plays 8-ball and 9-ball games in order to prepare for upcoming tournaments.

Herrmann said he is working on expanding the club. He hopes to start an annual tournament that includes Sac State, UC Davis and other schools across California.

Some colleges, including Menlo College, San Francisco State University and CSU Northridge, have already expressed interest in the statewide tournaments.

Herrmann tries to stay away from the “pool shark” approach.

“You kind of tease your opponent and put them on tilt in a way,” Herrmann said.

The club likes to employ more of a fundamental way of winning, and rely on the mathematical side of pool.