Pool: Quarterfinals Day 2

We have a shorter day of games today, but we will begin with a series at...

Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake v. Neopolitan. The first set of the day is 7-ball in the southeast. Royal's Jake struck first in game 1, using ball-in-hand from the end of a three-ball run by Pearl's Neopolitan to take the last two balls and a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Crowns' Jake missed his cut attempt on the 7, and the Surfers' Neopolitan took care of it to end the back-and-forth game and tie the series at 1. Jake went up 2-1 in the series by winning game 3, capitalizing on Neopolitan rattling the 7 out of the bottom side and leaving it just short at the top right for a tap-in win. Jake moved to a 3-1 lead by winning game 4 on the break, taking the 7 to the top left after a hard collision between it and the 4. Neopolitan got one back by dominating possession in game 5, using a four-ball run early and taking the last two after Jake scratched while potting the 5 to make it a 3-2 series. Neopolitan tied the series in game 6, making it 3-3 with a five-ball run-out, again carrying dominance and now with momentum into the final game. Jake countered in game 7, with a flubbed shot on the 5 to the top side working as an accidental kick combination when the 7 fell in the bottom side for a 4-3 series win. Ranked #9 in 7-ball, Jake will host Goldy of the Everton Eagles at this venue in the semifinals. With the loss, Neopolitan is the eighty-eighth player to be eliminated from the tournament. With a strong record in pool, Neopolitan is expected to stay with the Pearl Surfers, likely in a leadership role with V. Braun leaving the UPCL. Jake recorded his third kill of the season.

Ebay Center, Queens: Paige v. Shannon. Former best friends do battle in 8-ball while we stay in the southeast. Queens' Paige didn't take long to establish herself in game 1, with a five-ball run from the break. Southern's Shannon cleared a couple of balls in two turns, but the Flames' Paige was quick to finish the game once she got a good look, taking a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 lacked the crazy pace of game 1, and that served the Monarchs' Shannon well, as she kept up with Paige shot-for-shot before pulling ahead late and taking the win to make it 1-1 in the series. In game 3, Shannon made the highlight reel with her shot on the 6, double-caroming off the 14 and 8 en route to the top side to key off a five-ball run. It wouldn't be enough though, as Paige answered on a five-ball run-out with brilliant accuracy, making it a 2-1 series in her favor. Shannon played soft early in game 4, but it worked with deft touches for a 12-9 and 10-13 combination early on to stay close. Shannon ended on a four-ball run-out with good positioning and execution throughout, stunning Paige, whose defense was not bad, to make it a 2-2 series. Paige made it 3-2 in the series with a three-ball run-out to claim game 5, using multiple simple cuts to get to the victory. Paige clinched the series in game 6with a three-ball run-out, highlight by her kick-bank to the top left on the 3, which glanced off the 12, potting it, before running the width of the table to take another glance off the 14 and fall in the top left, setting up a wicked cut on the 8 to the bottom right for the 4-2 clincher. Paige took the series at 5-2 with a four-ball run in game 7, completed by illegal contact as a necessary evil. Shannon couldn't take all five balls left, and Paige buried the 8 on her only chance at it. Ranked #50 in 8-ball, Paige will host Dreamy of the Swordpoint Blades at this venue in the semifinals. Shannon is the eighty-ninth player to be ousted from the tournament, but her status with the rebuilding Southern Monarchs is not a certainty. She struggled mightily in cricket, but bounced back in pool, leaving the team in a tough position. Paige grabbed her fourth kill of the season, which has proven to make the Flames a very dangerous team so far.

Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Citrus. A highly hyped series between two big personalities goes off for Survival on the coast. Diamond's Citrus struck first, taking a 1-0 lead with a game 1 win via the rope-a-dope tactic. The Gems' Citrus wore herself down to one life after having the lead, giving Pacific's Starlight a false sense of security, which induced two misses as the host lost. The Volcanoes' Starlight fell apart in the second rack of game 2, rattling the 3 out of the top right to take another loss after holding on for a long time while Citrus slowly faded but didn't crumble. Citrus gained a 2-0 lead. During the break between game 2 and game 3, the center light over the table went out, which will remain as a feature throughout the rest of the semifinals. In the first game of center darkness, Starlight fell in two racks to the relentless attack by Citrus, which Starlight couldn't keep up with, falling on a failed 11-2 combination to give Citrus a 3-0 lead in the series. Starlight made quick work of Citrus once game 4 reached a second rack, wearing her down with crafty defensive soft shots to pull into a 3-1 series. Citrus narrowly missed a late shot in game 5, with a loss coming in the second rack as Starlight managed to hold on from her position of strength. Also, during the first rack of the game, the center light turned on again, bringing us back to full light and officially driving me crazy. Citrus staged a rally in game 6, coming from behind during the second rack to force Starlight into trouble, which worked to earn the win and clinch the series at 4-2. Game 7 was more for show than for actual effort, with Citrus staging a comeback in one rack to win the series 5-2. Ranked #32 in Survival, Citrus takes her bid into the semifinals. Starlight finds herself as the ninetieth player eliminated from the tournament, a down year by her lofty standards. While occasionally a diva, the Pacific Volcanoes' laid-back captain is secure to return for next season, as she will look to bring something to the trophy case. Citrus grabbed her fourth kill of the season in the win, posting a career year thus far.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Wings v. B. Chapman. Moving north, we have 15-ball. Victoria's Chapman took a game 1 that started off well and turned into a bunch of bad shots from long distance, eventually corralling the 15 after a missing by Pearl's Wings for a 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Wings tied it in another momentum-less game 2, taking advantage of ball-in-hand resulting when the Spurs' Chapman missed contact on the 15. Wings impressed in game 3 with a four-ball run-out, ending on a miss of the 12 that caromed the cue to take the 15 at the bottom left, the insurance plan Wings had scouted out on the shot that just so happened to work for a 2-1 series lead. Wings worked a three-ball run-out after Chapman's failed jump shot attempt in game 4, which sufficed to give him a 3-1 series lead. Chapman answered in game 5, getting away with twice leaving Wings in good position as he became his own worst enemy when it comes to accuracy, and Chapman took her second attempt on the 15 into a pocket to make it 3-2 in the series. Wings shot right back with a three-ball run-out, showing some killer instinct to take game 6 and clinch the series at 4-2 in an otherwise unremarkable set of games. Wings made it a 5-2 series with another difficult game 7, but he put together a three-ball run to get the win. Wings is ranked #4 in 15-ball, and he will host Spirit of the Lighton Prestige at this venue in the semifinals.

Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Sweetheart v. Princess. The final series of the morning/afternoon is 9-ball from the southeast. Boston's Sweetheart adapted to a similar style as Tysini's Princess in game 1, a clever maneuver that helped her get a three-ball run-out for a 1-0 series lead. The style of play is one based on shooting hard and accurate, but also looking for a lot of caroms. The Hummingbirds' Princess got stymied early in game 2, but that ended when the Swifts' Sweetheart jumped the 9 to pot the 3, sending the cue off the table, which gave Princess possession that she used to chip her way to a 1-1 tie in the series. Princess broke free to get the win in game 3, another weak accuracy game for both players, with a strong bank off the top rail to the bottom side with some serious authority and pace. When it went down, Princess gained a 2-1 series lead. Princess pushed the series lead to 3-1 in game 4, after she exchanged an early three-ball run with Sweetheart's three-ball run. Princess finished on a three-ball run-out, narrowly making the 8 in the top left to set up a cut on the 9 that saw her drive it so hard the cue rattled out of the top side to safety before the 9 dropped for the win. Sweetheart executed good defense in game 5, burying the cue behind the 8 near the top left after striking the 3, which cleared the 9. Princess couldn't find the 3, and Sweetheart, recognizing the dangerous opponent, buried the 3-9 combination from ball-in-hand to make it 3-2 in the series. Princess got her back in game 6, running out the last three balls, including a wicked cut on the 9 to the bottom right that again narrowly avoided a scratch at the top side, clinching the series at 4-2 in the process. Princess iced the series in grand fashion, taking the 9 on the break to the bottom left to make it 5-2 after a quick game 7. Ranked #59 in 9-ball, Princess advances to the semifinals, where she'll travel to Everton to face Eagles captain Goldy at the Chevrolet Center. With the loss, Sweetheart is the ninety-first player ousted from the tournament, but her strong first round performance backs up the protection she received from her cricket performance. Princess retook a share of the league lead with her fifth kill of the season. Additionally, the Rivalry of Clubs appears to be almost completely tipped in favor of Delila Enterprises with this walloping of Solid Core.

Lay's Field Events Center, Victoria: B. Chapman v. Ruby. We continue a 9-ball doubleheader in the evening session. Archtown's Ruby took a tightly played game 1 with a modest two-ball run-out, capitalizing on a late miss on the 7 by Victoria's Chapman. The Arrows' Ruby did strong work with a three-ball run-out in game 2, getting her backup plan in action after she missed the 9 to the top left but watched it fall in the bottom side on the rebound, going up 2-0 in the series with the lucky bounce. The Spurs' Chapman got on the board in game 3, using a three-ball run early to answer Ruby, and a two-rail kick on the 8 that worked as a combination when it touched the 9 to the bottom side for the winner, putting the series at 2-1. Chapman's late three-ball run didn't do any good for her in game 4 when Ruby cleaned up the 9 she missed to the bottom right, giving the visitor a 3-1 series lead. Ruby dominated in game 5, especially late, owning an easy four-ball run-out to take the game as a win and clinch the series at 4-1. Ruby took game 6 on the break, as the 9 slowly made its way into the top left pocket for the win and a 5-1 series lead. Ruby made a critical error in game 7, scratching while missing the 9 at point-blank range from ball-in-hand, giving Chapman the easy win late, making it a 5-2 final in the series. Ranked #29 in 9-ball, Ruby will host her semifinals series, with the opponent to be determined in two series. With the loss, Chapman is the ninety-second player out of the tournament, but her performance should be more than enough for the Spurs to retain her services, should she decide to stay in the UPCL. Ruby earned her fourth kill of the season in the win.

GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Debby Ryan v. Whiskers. Taking a one-series break from 9-ball, there's Rotation in the southeast. Infinity City's Whiskers was all over Southridge's Debby in game 1, playing strong offense and brutal defense in her 8-1 win to take a 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Debby shocked everyone in game 2, going on a six-ball run-out with some tricky shots involved. She began by getting out of a snooker to take the 7-15 combination to the bottom left, then positioning to get the 7 in the same spot and the 8 in the top left. An easy shot on the 10 left her with her final salvo, a double-pot that saw the 12 ricochet out of the top left and go across to the bottom right, while the cue bumped the 14 back to the bottom side, giving her an 8-6 win and tying the series at 1. Debby squandered a lead in game 3, letting Whiskers of the Torpedoes get back into it and also win it 8-6 after a late stretch of inaccuracy, giving Whiskers a 2-1 lead. Debby shot back in game 4, but she had to work for it, as Whiskers started on a five-ball run. Once Debby got some possession, she slowed the pace of the game, taking a lead late, then falling back into a tie only to clean up the 15 after Whiskers missed it for an 8-7 win to tie the series at 2. Whiskers took a sloppy game 5 with a three-ball run-out for an 8-4 win after an illegally potted ball from Debby. Whiskers took game 6 as well, with the improvement in play bringing Debby back into the game from way behind, only for Whiskers to ice off the last two balls for an 8-7 victory, clinching the series at 4-2 with the nail-biting victory. Debby took a win in game 7, chipping her way to an 8-5 final score for the game that saw moths on the pool table and spiders falling from the ceiling to distract the players. The series ended 4-3 for Whiskers, who will host Puff II of the Boston Swifts at Nissan Hall in Infinity City in the semifinals.

Apple Center, Todavía: Easter v. Sydnee. We return to 9-ball for the final series, coming on the coast. Todavía's Easter got off to a good start with a game 1, using a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand after Royal's Sydnee got snookered and couldn't find legal contact, going for a 1-0 lead. The Stills' Easter had a five-ball run early, including a double pot of the 1 and 4 and a carom off the 2 that took out the 7 to the top left, but the Crowns' Sydnee answered with a three-ball run. It wasn't enough, as Easter ended game 2 with the 9, capitalizing with a long shot to the top right after Sydnee missed, making it 2-0 in the series. Easter made sure not to waste a second chance on the 9, burying it after Sydnee's narrow miss on it to the top left for a 3-0 series lead, establishing an air of dominance. Easter clinched the series with a four-ball run-out in game 4, mastering positioning as the key to her win in this game, as none of the balls in the run were clean immediately, adding to the degree of difficulty as she went up 4-0. Easter made it 5-0 after a three-ball run-out in game 5, coming after a couple of errors by Sydnee created a lot of possession for Easter, including her 7-8 combination from ball-in-hand to spark the final run. Sydnee got on the board in game 6 after a scratch by Easter, an attempt at positioning, gave Sydnee ball-in-hand on the 9 for the easy win to make it 5-1. Sydnee grabbed the last two balls in game 7 as well, winning that one for a 5-2 final in the series. Easter, ranked #44 in 9-ball, will travel to Starbucks Arena in Archtown to oppose Ruby of the Arrows in the semifinals. Sydnee is the ninety-third player out of the tournament. She is expected to make her last UPCL appearances in either the Club or Team postseason tournaments, before departing the Royal Crowns for retirement, giving the team a compensatory pick that will occur in the 2nd round due to Jake's behavior violation in his 10-ball series against Acorn. Easter took her first kill of the season in the win.

That's 56 games for today. We expect 70-77 games tomorrow (10 or 11 series), preceded by cricket in the morning for SCL Week 6 action. Monday will be a light day that could see a double-dose of cricket, just to grease the wheels as we prepare for a busy and exciting week ahead. More news will come as it is available.