Here's the last round of single cue games in the B-level side of the Tournament. We begin with...
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Blizzard v. Frosty. The first series of the day sees the silver cue in for 12-ball. Everton's Blizzard got an edge from the start of the game, and needed only an illegally potted ball from Royal's Frosty to get lined up and convert on her final two shots for a 1-0 series lead. The Eagles' Blizzard took control early in game 2, but she couldn't get set up late, and the Crowns' Frosty capitalized by tapping in her last two balls to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Blizzard surrendered a wild card ball to Frosty, but then quickly navigated the rest of her set to take the game and a 2-1 series win. Ranked #113 in 12-ball, Blizzard will represent the silver cue as a finalist, holding an 8-1 record in the event so far.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Charli XCX v. Crystal. The next series is 15-ball with the red cue from the southwest. Tysini's Charli appeared to have the better run of play in game 1, piecing some modest three-ball runs together, but eventually losing out to Queens' Crystal, who made her attempt on the 15 for a 1-0 lead after Charli left it short. The Flames' Crystal needed two attempts on the 15 to take game 2, but the Hummingbirds' Charli was more than accommodating, struggling again to finish off a game she played very well up to the end, allowing Crystal to clinch at 2-0. Charli salvaged game 3, as Crystal's ill-advised jump attempt to get to the 3 missed, and Charli took the 4-15 combination to the top right two shots later to make it a 2-1 series win for Crystal. Ranked #132 for 15-ball, Crystal is the red cue finalist in the event, with a record of 8-4.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Fluffina. Top players throughout their careers meet in 7-ball with the blue cue. Game 1 was an unmitigated disaster, as both players looked amateurish and couldn't connect on straight and simple shots. Pacific's Starlight took the win for a 1-0 lead, but that was more a product of what Maplewood's Fluffina failed to do. Game 2 did not go much better, with most shots still from the perimeter of the table, but the Lumberjacks' Fluffina mopped up a short miss by the Volcanoes' Starlight on the 7 to tie the series at 1. Game 3 completed a trifecta of disappointment, with the players continuing to flub their way around the table until Fluffina took the game and a 2-1 series win by putting the 7 away after Starlight missed on it. Ranked #131 for 7-ball, Fluffina will represent the blue cue in the finals, standing at 9-3.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Snuggle v. Watermelon. A coastal rivalry sees the silver cue back at the table for 15-ball. Game 1 ended on a blooper for Oceanside's Snuggle, as he attempted to kick the cue from the top rail to the 6, but ended up striking the 15 into the 12 and then the bottom right, giving Pearl's Watermelon a 1-0 lead in the series. The Waves' Snuggle made up for his huge mistake with a dazzling distance shot to end game 2, an 11-15 combination to the bottom left that stunned the Surfers' Watermelon as Snuggle tied the series at 1. Snuggle had a bit more luck in game 3, as Watermelon turned on a 6-15 combination to the bottom side that saw the cue drive off the 13 and another ball, eventually falling in the bottom right for a scratch just as the 13 fell in the top right for the now-illegal double-pot. Snuggle took the series 2-1, and his #82 ranked 15-ball bid is the silver representative in the finals, with a 7-2 record to back his lofty ranking up.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Blizzard v. Niki. The red cue gets another series, this time in Rotation. The game remained close early on, with each player accidentally looking impressive with lucky shooting, but Everton's Blizzard pulled away to an 8-3 win over Eastside's Niki, ending on an 11-14 combination to the bottom right for a 1-0 lead in the series. The Sharks' Niki jumped out to a huge lead in game 2, only to see the Eagles' Blizzard roar back into the lead on a four-ball run capped by a lucky carom off the 11 that put the 14 in the top left. Still, Blizzard couldn't convert the 11, and Niki got the last two balls to win 8-7, tying the series at 1 game apiece. Niki dominated in game 3, leaving no doubt in an 8-1 win she ended with a well-planned four-ball run-out for a 2-1 series win. Ranked #110 in Rotation, Niki will represent the red cue in the finals, with her 6-3 record for the event so far.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Cubby v. Sydney Sierota. The blue cue cycles back into play with this 9-ball series. Just as game 1 appeared to hit a lull, Harrison's Sydney stormed out to a four-ball run-out, burying Maplewood's Cubby will some accurate shooting to end the game for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was defined by two impressive shots. The first was the Specters' Sydney shooting the 3 into the 5, which headed off to the side of the bottom side pocket, but a bump from the cue changed its spin to score it, keying a three-ball run from the rookie. The second, and a potential top-10 of all time shot, was the Lumberjacks' Cubby jumping the 9 to contact the 6, which worked, sending the 6 off two rails in short time to drill the 9 into the top side to tie the series at 1. Sydney stayed the course, not letting a fluky play get her down, and then she ran out the last six balls in game 3, taking the series 2-1. Ranked #96 for 9-ball, Sydney takes her 7-2 record into the finals as the blue cue representative for this event.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Charli XCX. The red cue is up now for 12-ball. Tysini's Charli had to be patient as Boston's Patches made quick work of the first five balls. The patience paid off, as Patches never got set on her final ball, and Charli scored six in a row over a handful of turns to take the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Patches had an easy go of it in game 2, actually completing the game even as she gave the Hummingbirds' Charli a wild card ball, tying the series in a confident rebound to a 1-1 score. Patches and Charli took different routes to get to their final balls, but each made it to one shot for victory. In the end, Patches made the most of bad position with a bank of the 2 off the bottom rail to the top left (the third time she took care of that pocket due to scratches), and won the series 2-1. Patches, ranked #124 in 12-ball, will represent the red cue in the finals, holding an 8-4 record.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Mams v. Sprinkles. The silver cue will make its last appearance of the day in Rotation. The game didn't start all that smoothly, but once Capital City's Sprinkles got going, she didn't stop, turning in a six-ball run-out for an 8-1 win and 1-0 series lead over Viewpoint Sound's Mams. In game 2, the Meteors' Mams fell into a big hole early after some wildness from the Sharpshooters' Sprinkles after the break, but Mams bounced back with a series of productive turns that led to an 8-5 win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 featured Mams pulling out to a large lead with a strong opening run, but Sprinkles tied the game at 6 before Mams wrapped up an 8-6 win for a 2-1 series win. Ranked #111 in Rotation, Mams will play for the silver cue in the final, with a 6-3 record in the event thus far.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Twinkie III v. Dusky. The first dose of Accuracy for the day comes with the red cue in the urban core. Game 1 saw very strong play on both sides, but Whitewater's Twinkie III proved slightly better, beating Archtown's Dusky 1-2 to take a 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Dusky answered with a slightly less tight game 2, winning 3-5 over the Shores' Twinkie III in a game defined by narrow misses, tying the series at 1. Dusky impressed on a triple-pot in game 3 to make the highlight reel, cutting the 7 to the top right, which sent the 2 barreling into the top left after glancing the 6, which also glanced off the 1 to find the bottom left. Dusky stayed savvy in her shooting, eventually forcing Twinkie III into two more misses to win 1-3, and take the series 2-1. Ranked #122 for Accuracy, Dusky will represent the red cue in the finals, with an 8-4 record so far.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Dusty. This venue will feature a doubleheader, beginning with a series of Rotation with the blue cue. Golden's Dusty weathered a rough start with help from equally poor shooting by Pearl's Watermelon, eventually breaking free to a lead that she nearly lost before sealing an 8-6 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Dusty surged ahead after another iffy start in game 2, eventually working a three-ball run-out to topple the Surfers' Watermelon 8-1 and clinch the series at 2-0. Dusty rallied hard in game 3, but couldn't overcome Watermelon, who took an 8-7 win to make it a 2-1 series. Dusty is ranked #101 for Rotation, representing the blue cue in the final with her 8-4 record. Dusty is the top seed for the finals, facing the winner of the series between Niki and Mams.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Cowzart v. Paige. The nightcap of the doubleheader also has the blue cue up for Accuracy. Queens' Paige did very well for herself in game 1, building up a lead just large enough that even a near-perfect comeback effort from Pearl's Cowzart couldn't overcome it, as she won 4-5 for a 1-0 series lead despite a late fade. The Flames' Paige kept things a bit cleaner in game 2, working out of a deficit early to cause trouble for the Surfers' Cowzart late in the game, leading to a 2-4 win for a 2-0 series lead. Cowzart showed up a little late to compete in the series, taking game 3 by a score of 2-4 in a smart appearance. Paige won the series 2-1, and her #97 ranked Accuracy bid represents the blue cue in the finals, with an 7-2 record to her name.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Noelle v. Puff I. The final series of the day is 7-ball with the red cue. Central's Noelle ignored the humble beginnings of the game, shutting things down against Puff I of Modernistic with a five-ball run-out to claim a 1-0 lead in the series once she got her shot in check. The Union's Puff I skipped the theatrics in game 2, making a double-pot of the 1 to the top right with the carom leading the cue to the 7, which fell in the bottom right on her first shot of the game, tying the series at 1 with the Warriors' Noelle. In game 3, Puff I had to do all the work, but Noelle still put up a good fight despite not making a shot all game. Puff I walked away on a 2-1 series win, and her #113 ranked 7-ball bid will represent the red cue in the finals, holding a 7-2 record.
Tomorrow will feature the other half of this round, with a special morning start time to get a kick on getting the games done. The Finals Day schedule will be up tomorrow evening.
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