It's the other half of the final single-cue round, with another 12 series of games to play today before the final schedule of the B-level tier is published for tomorrow's games. Today, we begin in...
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Mr. Snowman. This 15-ball series with the blue cue leads off a venue doubleheader. In game 1, things started slowly, but Viewpoint Sound's Mr. Snowman had a lot of momentum late in the game, making the 9-15 combination to the top side to take a 1-0 series lead over Lighton's Acorn. The Prestige's Acorn answered with another tight stanza in game 2, keeping things very close throughout until he busted through on a 12-15 combination to the bottom right, topping the Meteors' Mr. Snowman to tie the series at 1. Acorn worked magic in game 3, scoring the 14 by striking the 2, which sent the cue caroming off to tap the 13, while the 2 started a 3-6-9-14 reaction, with the 13 sliding in to pot the 14 in the bottom left. Acorn finished on a four-ball run-out to win game 3, ending on a double-pot of the 15, which came off the cue caroming on the 5, which also sent the 10 to the top right after the 15 fell in the bottom left. Acorn won the series 2-1, and his #105 ranked 15-ball bid is representing the blue cue in the finals with a 6-3 record. Acorn will host Crystal in the first stage, and the winner advances to play Snuggle for the title.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Spirit v. Snuggle. The red cue steps in for a series of 10-ball with the red cue. Lighton's Spirit had a good start in game 1, undeterred by Oceanside's Snuggle running three balls since she answered that action with a three-ball run-out of her own for a 1-0 lead in the series, with very strong positioning. Game 2 had a few more early struggles, but the Prestige's Spirit navigated them well, capitalizing on the Waves' Snuggle missing the 7 to cue up a four-ball run-out to clinch the series at 2-0. Game 3 did not go well at all, with both players losing their cool late in the game after some fan interference. Spirit eventually took the win when Snuggle left the 10 short, sweeping the series 3-0. Spirit is ranked #95 for 10-ball, and carries a perfect 9-0 record to the finals, representing the red cue.
Apple Center, Todavía: Leonardo v. Panda. The Spanish Derby plays another chapter with the blue cue for 12-ball. Todavía's Leonardo never overcame giving away a wild card ball on the break, although a late rally made it look good. In the end, Leonardo gave the game away to Southern's Panda by sinking his final ball for him, giving Panda the 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Leonardo answered with a victory in game 2, getting a lot of help as the Monarchs' Panda left Leonardo's second-to-last ball short, and Leonardo turned a two-rail bank of his final ball to the top left to tie the series at 1. Panda ended up taking game 3, which was a long and drawn-out battle with Leonardo, ending as Leonardo couldn't make his final ball from distance and Panda tapped his last shot in to take the series 2-1. Ranked #82 in 12-ball, Panda will play for the blue cue in the finals, hosting Patches of the Boston Swifts in preliminary stage, with the winner meeting Blizzard of the Everton Eagles for the title.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Bright v. Niki. The silver cue gets its day going with 8-ball. Tysini's Bright needed a five-ball run to keep Eastside's Niki at bay, but it worked well enough in game 1 when she couldn't wipe out her suit, allowing Bright to tap the 8 in for a 1-0 lead. In game 2, there was no stopping the Sharks' Niki with her four-ball run-out to score a technical shutout of the Hummingbirds' Bright to tie the series at 1. Bright did sink one ball, but that was returned to the table due to his scratch. Bright seemed to have control of game 3 early on, but he had a loose grip, and Niki pulled back, narrowly avoiding his late rally to win with the final two shots. Niki, ranked #114 for 8-ball, took the series 2-1 and advances to the finals to represent the silver cue with a 9-3 record to back her up.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Goldy v. Tigerette. The silver cue stays at the table for a 9-ball series. Game 1 played out to be very mediocre, with neither player controlling the pace that much. Everton's Goldy did make the final two balls, giving her a 1-0 lead over Commerce's Tigerette, but it could have gone either way. In game 2, the Tradewinds' Tigerette came alive late, capitalizing on the Eagles' Goldy failing to sink anything on a cluster buster to key a five-ball run-out for the visitor, tying the series at 1. Tigerette came in hot toward the end of game 3, but her modest run at the end of the game ended as she missed a kick on the 9, leaving Goldy lined up to take the game and a 2-1 series win. Ranked #109 in 9-ball, Goldy will play for the silver cue in the finals, with a 6-3 record to her name.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Debby Ryan v. Kelly. The blue cue gets another nod for this 10-ball series. Southridge's Debby did not show any signs of worry against Viewpoint Sound's Kelly, answering a run from the visitor with a four-ball run-out that gave Debby a 1-0 lead in the series. The Defenders' Debby ended up paying for a very late scratch after jamming the cue into a 5-10-7 cluster, with the 10 falling in the bottom right and the cue following shortly after. Kelly would come back to win the game, tying the series at 1 and owning possession from that shot on. Kelly dominated possession in game 3 as well, including a five-ball run that served well in her attack before Debby left the 10 short for Kelly to tap in for the win. Kelly took the series 2-1, and her #114 ranked bid hits the final representing the blue cue with a 10-2 record in the event.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Nicole v. Jasmine. The second half of the 10-ball doubleheader features the silver cue. Southern's Nicole got very lucky in game 1, as Jasmine of Freedom couldn't make contact with the 10, ending her five-ball run to give Nicole ball-in-hand, which she used on the 10 to take a 1-0 series lead. Each player had a poor attempt at the 10 in game 2 after a mostly even game, but the Monarchs' Nicole buried her second chance off of the Cascades' Jasmine leaving it in a good spot, taking the series to 2-0. The players exchanged three-ball runs in game 3, ending with Jasmine leaving the 10 just out of the top right, which Nicole tapped in to wrap the series up in a 3-0 sweep. Nicole, ranked #105 for 10-ball, is in the final to play for the silver cue, holding an 8-1 record in the event. Nicole will be hosting Kelly of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors in the first stage, with the winner facing Lighton Prestige star Spirit for the title.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Hoot v. Patches. The red cue is back in action for this 9-ball series. Boston's Patches stayed calm despite a bit of distraction from a flying bug, working a three-ball run-out late in the game that included a tough cut to get the 8 and a medium-distance shot on the 9, taking a 1-0 lead over Pronger's Hoot, who played well in game 1 too. The Swifts' Patches faced similar circumstances in game 2, again ending on a three-ball run-out highlighted by a tough angle shot on the 6 to the bottom side, taking a 2-0 series lead against a solid but unlucky Hoot of the Tridents. Hoot had complete control in game 3, dominating possession and winning with a very comfortable cut from distance on the 9, making it a 2-1 series win for Patches. Ranked #116 in 9-ball, Patches is through to the finals to represent the red cue, with an 8-4 record to back her up. Patches will begin in Everton to face the Eagles' Goldy, with the winner battling Harrison Specters' emergent superstar Sydney Sierota for the title.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Blizzard v. Sydney Sierota. One series of Accuracy with the silver cue will likely tell us who the best player of the B-level games is. Everton's Blizzard put Harrison's Sydney in a pinch very early on, and while she let up near the end, she had the game secured in a 3-4 win to go ahead 1-0 in the series. Game 2 didn't have quite the same level of precision, as the players missed to even things out and spent most of the game in a tie. This lasted to overtime, where the Specters' Sydney made a ball on her second shot and left the Eagles' Blizzard with nothing, good for a 5-6 win to tie the series at 1 game apiece. Sydney ended up separating herself from Blizzard, getting control of game 3 early and never letting go to take the game 2-5 and the series 2-1. Sydney is ranked #131in Accuracy, playing for the silver cue in the finals, with an 8-4 record as well. Sydney will travel to Archtown to face Dusky of the Arrows in the first stage, and the winner advances to face Paige of the Queens Flames for the title.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Dani v. Jennifer Livilotti. The red cue makes its final independent appearance in the B-level, playing 8-ball. Terrace City's Jennifer did all she could to play defense after Capital City's Dani started hot, but she couldn't finish her run, and Dani tapped the 8 in for a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Jennifer had a more attack-oriented game 2, running six balls and nearly taking the 8 at the end. The Sharpshooters' Dani tried to rebuff the attack, but her five-ball run was not enough, as Jennifer took care of the 8 and tied the series at 1. Jennifer kept it up in game 3, winning on a four-ball run-out, with the 8 going in the top left on a tough cut, preventing Dani from getting back to the table late in the game as Jennifer sealed a 2-1 series win. Ranked #131 for 8-ball, Jennifer will play with the red cue in the finals, holding a 9-3 record.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Fluffina. The second half of the 8-ball doubleheader has the blue cue. In game 1, Fluffina of Maplewood did a good job to rally back into the game with a five-ball run, but it ended up not being good enough, as Watermelon of Pearl had a three-ball run-out to seal the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Watermelon opened game 2 on a four-ball run, and closed with a wicked bank off the top rail to the bottom side for the 8, keeping herself ahead of the Lumberjacks' Fluffina all game to take a 2-0 series lead. Watermelon had to work a little harder for the win in game 3, but she eventually secured it to advance on a 3-0 series sweep. Ranked #123 for 8-ball, Watermelon takes her 9-3 bid into the finals to represent the blue cue. All 8-ball players in the finals are 9-3, but by seeding, Watermelon hosts Terrace City Knight Jennifer in the first stage, and the winner battles Niki of the Eastside Sharks in the title series.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Bear v. Smudge. The final series of the independent cue rounds is a 7-ball set with the silver cue. Game 1 could have gone either way, but it ultimately favored Infinity's Smudge, who picked the right angle for a bank of the 7 off the right rail to the bottom left, giving her a 1-0 lead over Whitewater's Bear. Game 2 ended poorly for the Shores' Bear, as a late scratch gave ball-in-hand to the Torpedoes' Smudge, and she made no mistakes in potting the 7 to the top right to clinch the series at 2-0. Bear did take the win in game 3, which had a bit of a sloppy ending to it, to make it a 2-1 series for Smudge. Ranked #100 in 7-ball, Smudge holds the pole position with the silver cue for the finals, with an 8-1 record. Smudge will play the winner of Puff I v. Fluffina.
That's all for now. Tomorrow is Finals Day, and we'll likely feature two posts. One will be for the first stage matches, and the other will be for the title series. The schedule, which should be uploaded to the website soon, will feature the players listed for the first stage matches, and then say "[Player] v. Winner of [series number]" below for the title matches. Until then, enjoy yourselves and get ready for a fun finish to the summer.
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