We're scheduled for another 70 or so days, with Survival getting plenty of attention after being shunned most of the round. We begin in...
Ford Forum, Pronger: Paps v. Sydnee. The first series of the day is 9-ball. Pronger's Paps took game 1 in a tightly contested match, as each player exchanged short runs with frequency and did well to keep the cue on the table. The Tridents' Paps made three off the break and added four more for a seven-ball run, including a wicked kick off the bottom rail to score the 1 in the top right. Royal's Sydnee picked up the slack, making the final two balls to tie the series. The Crowns' Sydnee took a 2-1 series lead in game 3, starting with two on the break in a four-ball run and ending with a two-ball run-out for the win in a game where she finally controlled possession. Paps retied the series with another tight win in game 4, as both players had approximately equal possession and the accuracy that was on display earlier was a little less prevalent. Sydnee managed to win game 5, a slightly sloppier game in a generally well-played series, and she took the series 3-2. In the third round, her #51 ranked bid in 9-ball will host Twinkie I of the Lighton Prestige at her home venue, the Kraft Forum in Royal.
Nissan Hall, Infinity City: Shelley v. Twinkie III. The next series is a Rotation set. Whitewater's Twinkie III managed to hold on in game 1 for an 8-5 win, building a large lead early on only to see Infinity City's Shelley charge back rapidly at the end. Shelley was done in by a rattling shot on the 13 to the top right. In game 2, the Torpedoes' Shelley was lucky to get a shot at all, as the Shores' Twinkie III built up a 7-0 lead early and waited for a scratch by Shelley to win, 8-2, and took a 2-0 lead in the series as well. Shelley got on the board with a very fire-wagon game 3, roaring back from 3-1 down to take a 5-3 lead, only to go down 7-5 after Twinkie III used a four-ball run, and then Shelley finished on a three-ball run-out for an 8-7 victory. Game 4 was similar, as Twinkie III charged out to a large lead, but Shelley rallied back on a three-ball run with spectacular positioning to make it close again. She couldn't tie the game, and Twinkie III finished it there with the 14, winning 8-6 to take a 3-1 series lead. Shelley won a somewhat messy game 5, working her way around both players' myriad mistakes. Twinkie III, ranked #120, won the series 3-2, and she will continue traveling in round three to visit Amber of the Pirates in McDonald's Hall in Atlantic.
Lay's Field Events Center, Victoria: B. Chapman v. Bright. This 9-ball series is a rematch from about three days ago when these two players met for 7-ball in this venue, with Victoria's Chapman taking the win 3-2 in that meeting. The Spurs' Chapman received a gift for game 1, as Tysini's Bright nearly won with a 6-9 combination to the top left, but also scratched to give the game away. Chapman went up 2-0 in a shakier game 2, as the Hummingbirds' Bright left a number of shots short. Chapman sealed the series with a game 3 win, coming after Bright couldn't connect on the 6 and Chapman got ball-in-hand for a 6-9 combination to the top right. Accuracy remained problematic for both players in game 4, making it a much longer game than it was supposed to be, but Bright got on the board with the sloppy win. Bright also won in game 5, making it a 3-2 series win for Chapman. Ranked #28 in 9-bal, Chapman will host Starlight of the Pacific Volcanoes at this venue in the third round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Snuggle v. Shiny. Again, we have Rotation, this time on the coast. Victoria's Shiny managed to eke out the 8-5 win in a very messy ending to game 1. Both players struggled to make solid contact, and accuracy issues were glaringly obvious. Oceanside's Snuggle fixed his problems faster, bouncing back with a three-ball run-out for an 8-2 win in game 2, tying the series at 1 with the confident rebound game. The Spurs' Shiny appeared to have game 3 under control late in the game, but a whiff on the 10 sparked the Waves' Snuggle to a five-ball run-out for the 8-7 victory in another sloppy game. Snuggle took a 2-1 series lead with the win. Snuggle regained his momentum after a terrible break in game 4, and once he got going, he was not to be slowed down until taking victory at 8-3, clinching the series at 3-1. In game 5, Snuggle hit the highlight reel with a 3-10-9-4 combination to the top left, a brilliant play to make it 3-0 in the game. Snuggle cruised throughout the game, winning 8-1 for a 4-1 series win. Snuggle, ranked #49 in Rotation, will travel to Eastside to do battle with Taylor Swift of the Sharks in the third round at the HP Field Events Center.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Chicky Phil v. Sugar. The next two series are a doubleheader of 15-ball. Westside's Chicky Phil took an abjectly terrible game 1 with a three-ball run-out and the only impressive shot of the game, a bank on the 13 with just enough touch to get it to the bottom right and leave position on the 15. Web City's Sugar answered with a four-ball run-out in game 2, tying the series in the slightly better played game, although shakiness persisted. The Spiders' Sugar went up 2-1 in game 3, mopping up the 15 after the Rockers' Chicky Phil left it short by the top left. The early-series issues appear to be mostly ironed out now, as the shooting was essentially clean and tempers remained calm as opposed to the fiery outbursts earlier. Chicky Phil returned the favor, making a five-ball run by Sugar late in the game meaningless when she missed the 15 and he mopped it up to the top side. The series is tied at 2 after the thrilling game 4 finish. Chicky Phil took game 5, running four balls before the game got defensive again late, and then tapping in the 15 after a narrow miss by Sugar. Chicky Phil, ranked #63, won the series 3-2, and his 15-ball campaign will continue into the third round, where he hosts Bryant of the Maplewood Lumberjacks at this very venue.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Panda v. Ms. Puppy. The second half of the doubleheader comes from the coastal southwest. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy appeared to have the better possession in game 1, but it didn't matter, as Panda of Southern used a three-ball run-out to take a 1-0 series lead in a fairly strong game. The Union's Ms. Puppy did well to capitalize on a miss by the Monarchs' Panda in game 2, making sure her mid-game five-ball run was actually worth something. Panda played well early, but lost control later on in the game. Panda shot back, taking a 2-1 series lead in game 3. Panda did have a four-ball run during the very tightly contested game. Panda ran six balls near the start of game 4, including a killer two-rail kick on the 1 and a 2-6-4 and 2-6 combination early in the run, which ended on a scratch. It went for naught, as Ms. Puppy retied the series on a three-ball run-out, keeping this series' pace very high. Ms. Puppy won game 5, for a 3-2 series win, in a game that had more peaks and valleys than a coastal mountain range. At times, the players went on runs, and then found drastic cold spells. Ms. Puppy, ranked #124 for 15-ball, takes her surprising run into the third round, where she will oppose Spirit of the Prestige at Lighton's Pepsi Arena.
Lay's Field Events Center, Victoria: Shiny v. Cowzart. Back inland, there's a series of 10-ball. Victoria's Shiny showed up ready to play in game 1, answering a three-ball run from Freedom's Cowzart with a four-ball run-out to take a 1-0 lead. The Spurs' Shiny cashed in after the Cascades' Cowzart scratched in game 2, using a 5-10 combination along the top rail for a 2-0 lead. Cowzart got on the board in game 3, in which Shiny just did not have the accuracy component necessary to keep pace. Shiny fired back with a much quicker, stronger, and more accurate game 4, taking the series at 3-1 while mostly smothering Cowzart to prevent heavy opposition. Each player had a four-ball run in game 5, as Shiny's was answered by Cowzart's, but Cowzart got the final two to take the game. Shiny still won the series 3-2, and her #80 ranked 10-ball campaign continues on the road in round three, traveling to Amazon Field Exhibition Hall in Golden to battle the Pilots' highly-ranked Dusty. With the win, Shiny survives in the first, legitimate do-or-die series, knocking out the Cascades' Cowzart with her first kill of the season. Cowzart, the fifteenth player to bow out, is likely out the door in Freedom, as the Cascades will likely overhaul their entire organization after a second year of heavy failure.
Nissan Hall, Infinity City: Whiskers v. Shadow. Survival makes an appearance now in a little appetizer to the show later in the day. The shooting was almost perfect in the first rack of game 1, with Whiskers of Infinity City holding the slight edge on Shadow of Web City, and using that to her advantage in pushing him around during the second rack for a 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Whiskers got tricky in game 2, playing a dangerous rope-a-dope move in going to one life, but she got a double-pot on the 6 and 8 for two bonus lives, and rode those the rest of the way, forcing the Spiders' Shadow into a bad shot at the start of rack two, which he couldn't make, giving Whiskers the 2-0 lead. Shadow pulled off the same move with two lives, grabbing possession and using it effectively to hold onto his lives while inducing five straight misses by Whiskers, making it a 2-1 series. Whiskers made quick work of Shadow in game 4, frustrating him fully by running possession from the midpoint on, forcing his lives away very quickly and going up 3-1 before the first rack ended. With nothing left to play for, Shadow went down quietly in game 5, allowing Whiskers to run rampant all over the game. Whiskers won the series 4-1, and is taking her #11 ranked Survival campaign into the third round.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Cleo v. Paige. The silver cue will put a lid on the afternoon before a fierce evening ahead, relieving the blue cue for 12-ball here. Cleo of Everton had the edge in game 1, using Paige of Queens' mistake in missing contact on the 9 as the opportunity to finish off her final two balls for the win. Previously, the Flames' Paige had positioned well, but the Eagles' Cleo mucked those shots up frequently. Paige worked her positioning better than Cleo in game 2, and that separated them enough in that particular game for Paige to get the win and tie the series at 1. Paige managed to win game 3, despite what could be politely called an unorthodox break, but more accurately would be called the worst break in UPCL history. With that bad break, it only got better, as Paige was able to again use positioning to get around a stunned Cleo for a 2-1 lead. Cleo shot back, overwhelming Paige early despite the latter's strong break, and then Cleo out-muscled Paige to the bottom right, overcoming Paige's defensive efforts to retie the series. Cleo won the series 3-2 with a game 5 win, getting a strong break and working quickly to keep Paige chasing her, until Paige's own lack of contact did her in, allowing Cleo to take out the final two balls with ease. Cleo, ranked #84 in 12-ball, moves on to the third round, where she will again host a series at this venue, bringing in A. Charlton of the Golden Pilots.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Sugar. The silver cue is in for red this time, as Pacific's superstar, Starlight, finally gets serious in the final days of the second round, playing Survival this time around. The Volcanoes' Starlight showed off why she is so dangerous, losing a net one life in a very sloppy and inaccurate game 1 of the series, easily topping the unprepared Sugar of Web City. The Spiders' Sugar bounced back, winning game 2 confidently as Starlight had trouble getting lined up early and had no margin for error when she figured her shot out again, allowing Sugar to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Starlight had a magnificent combination shot, going 2-10-15-12-14-3 into the bottom left, but it was for nothing as she also scratched. Starlight did get the lead back in the second rack, and she held on as the race to the bottom started, with Sugar falling just a little fast to allow Starlight a 2-1 series lead. Sugar fired back, as Starlight held pace instead of pulling ahead in game 4, and that backfired on her when the shots got tougher, allowing Sugar to push her around and eventually tie the series after Starlight missed the 10. Starlight did not fall again, dominating in game 5, even as Sugar hung around late into the second rack. Starlight played a patient game to assure victory, winning the series 3-2. Ranked #18 in Survival, Starlight is set to host Leonardo of the Todavía Stills in the third round at this venue.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Ice Cream v. Taylor Swift. The second of four straight Survival series sees the blue cue return to action as the night session begins. Before the games restarted, the table had to be watered after finding some "unexpected content" on the surface, and I'm a cat owner so take what you will from that. The table will likely run a bit slower with the added water as a friction device. The changes were noticeable, but it didn't affect game quality, as Ice Cream of Commerce dueled with Taylor of Eastside in a brilliantly strategic game, and Ice Cream came out on top as Taylor couldn't do anything with the second rack breakup shot. The Tradewinds' Ice Cream dominated in game 2, controlling the pace of play and pushing the Sharks' Taylor around throughout the single rack to take a 2-0 series lead. Taylor shot back in game 3, but it wasn't because of Ice Cream, who fought very hard. She even made a low-angle cut on the 8 into the bottom right to open the second rack and earn another life, but it didn't last as Taylor cut the series deficit to 2-1. Taylor tied the series in game 4, using excellent shooting to keep Ice Cream on edge, which didn't work at first but became more effective as the available shots reduced in quality and quantity. Game 5 made it to a second rack, but the results did not go well for Ice Cream, as she missed the cut on the 13, and lost the game and the series. Taylor Swift, ranked #96 in Survival, will play in the third round, hosting Dreamy of the Swordpoint Blades at Taylor's home venue, the HP Field Events Center in Eastside.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Marsell v. Kavan. The third part of the quadruple-header is from the southwest. Freedom's Kavan won game 1 about a half rack into the game, as Tysini's Marsell lacked accuracy throughout many of his shooting attempts, and the one he did make impressively, a 9-4 combination, resulted in a scratch in the bottom side, giving the Cascades' Kavan a 1-0 lead. The Hummingbirds' Marsell answered, working the same kind of strategy and defense to bury Kavan in game 2, tying the series at 1. Marsell took a 2-1 lead in game 3, another very poorly shot game between the two players who are on the edge of being cut by their respective teams in the offseason. Marsell secured the series at 3-1 with a game 4 win, again needing much less than a full rack to do it as Kavan continued to struggle to make shots anywhere on the table. Marsell has broken effectively, and he has used better shot selection and defense than Kavan, which is why he will advance. Kavan spared the audience a second rack, bowing out in game 5 at the end of the first rack, giving Marsell a 4-1 series win. Marsell, ranked #86, will oppose the winner of the next series in the third round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Valencia. Success breeds rivalry, and these two players are highly successful, as are their teams. They conclude the four-pack of Survival. Boston's Patches showed off her defensive skill as well as her accuracy, using a tenacious combination of craftiness and raw skill to top the equally-talented Valencia of Golden for game 1. Patches of the Swifts did strong work in game 2, using defensive positioning to her advantage after one misstep by the Pilots' Valencia cost her a chance to retain possession in the game. Patches took possession and never looked back, taking a 2-0 lead. Valencia showed a ton of resiliency in game 3, holding onto her final life for about a whole rack, but Patches still topped her in the end despite Valencia's best efforts to hold her off and eventually almost knock her out. Patches clinched the series at 3-0, but the players have played engaging pool throughout it. Patches continued with a big game 4 win, luring Valencia into a false sense of security as both players dropped to one life with Patches shooting first, and then making the final ball of the first rack and using positioning to create an unfavorable situation for Valencia. Valencia took her shot, and nothing fell on the second rack breakup shot, costing her a game she should have won. Valencia did get a game in game 5, as Patches made a small effort to compete but eventually let it go and settled for a 4-1 series win. Ranked #58 in Survival, Patches will host the Tysini Hummingbirds' Marsell at this venue in the third round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Fluffina v. Wings. Now that the four-pack is over, the red cue returns for an encore, playing 10-ball. Pearl's Wings took little time to establish a lead, using a three-ball run with a 3-10 combination to the bottom left as the finishing move for a 1-0 lead over Maplewood's Fluffina. The Lumberjacks' Fluffina tied it in game 2 despite being on the wrong end of two three-ball runs by the Surfers' Wings. Unfortunately for Wings, the latter run couldn't become four balls, leaving the 10 short at the bottom left for Fluffina to tap in. Game 3 took more of a back-and-forth pattern, and it was Wings that caught it at the end after Fluffina chipped the 10 short of the bottom right. Fluffina shot back quickly in game 4, making the 1 in the bottom side to position on a 2-10 combination to the top left, which was converted as the equalizing shot after the 10 grazed the 4 on the way in, tying the series at 2. Fluffina ended up cleaning up in game 5, even as Wings again dominated in possession. With the 3-2 series win, Fluffina advances to the third round on her #19 ranked 10-ball campaign, where she will host Sweetheart of the Boston Swifts in this venue.
Ebay Center, Queens: Crystal v. Wild Thing. The final series of the night is 7-ball, a good way to end after a long day of hard games. After a rough start to game 1, Queens' Crystal put it together at the end with a four-ball run-out, including a strong kick off the top rail to the bottom left on the 6, setting up a thin cut on the 7 to the top side for a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Crystal took a 2-0 lead in game 2, capping off the game she dominated after Swordpoint's Wild Thing couldn't string together enough shots to retain possession late in the game. The Blades' Wild Thing saw his struggles with possession continue, as Crystal again ran rampant over him in earning a 3-0 series lead after finishing off game 3. Game 4 saw just two turns taken, as Crystal ran four balls before scratching on her poor attempt to get at the 4, allowing Wild Thing to win a game by running out the final three balls, making it 3-1 in the series. Crystal answered back, assuring a late three-ball run would not be wasted, and Wild Thing's miss allowed Crystal the perfect opportunity to convert and win the series 4-1. In the third round, the #18 ranked Crystal will host the Everton Eagles captain, Goldy, at this venue. With the loss, Wild Thing became the sixteenth player eliminated this season, and Crystal earned her first kill.
That's all for a busy day, with 75 more in the books. Tomorrow should go about the same, if everything goes to plan, as a lot of the series on tap are the more time-consuming ones.
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