Another full day of games is expected today. We should also be full on games tomorrow, but with a smaller slate on Friday to account for scheduling. The games begin at...
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Blizzard v. Sierra. This series, with the silver cue for 7-ball, leads off a tripleheader at this venue. Everton's Blizzard got off to a solid start in game 1, running four balls from the break, but Todavía's Sierra finished the game on a three-ball run-out to take the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Eagles' Blizzard jostled a bit more with the Stills' Sierra in game 2, and it worked well for Blizzard, as she made the last two shots in a close game to tie the series at 1 with a win of her own. Blizzard lost it late in game 3, leaving the 7 short at the top right for Sierra to tap in, giving the visitor a 2-1 series win. Ranked #105 in 7-ball, Sierra will move on to Whitewater to face the Shores' Bear at Samsung Arena in the bracket semifinals.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Goldy v. Sparkles. Two of Oriental United's most prominent players use the silver cue for 9-ball, as an Eagle and Still battle again. Todavía's Sparkles again got the better of Everton's Goldy, striking in game 1 after Goldy left the 9 short at the top right for Sparkles to tap in for a 1-0 lead. The Eagles' Goldy did much better to drive possession in game 2, working a five-ball run at one point and shutting the Stills' Sparkles down late in the game to tie the series at 1 game apiece. Goldy continued her strong play in game 3, easily topping Sparkles in the final stanza to take the series 2-1. Ranked #109 for 9-ball, Goldy faces the player she's tied with in the rankings, Missy of the Capital City Sharpshooters, in the bracket semifinals at this venue due to the rankings tiebreaker.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Blizzard v. Stinky. Capping the day-opening tripleheader is a Rotation series with the red cue. Twice in game 1 did Freedom's Stinky allow Everton's Blizzard to tie the game after building a multi-shot lead, but he closed the game out before it could happen a third time, with Stinky claiming an 8-6 win for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw a lot of defense played from the Eagles' Blizzard, which succeeded in frustrating the Cascades' Stinky long enough for Blizzard to work her way to an 8-5 victory after numerous errors from Stinky, tying the series at 1. Blizzard had a handle on game 3, and then allowed Stinky to twice tie the game before unleashing a desperation bank of the 14 off the right rail to the bottom left, winning the game 8-7 for a 2-1 series win. Ranked #104 in Rotation, Blizzard gets through to the bracket semifinals with a lucky bounce.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Lorde v. Sierra. The blue cue is up next for 12-ball in the urban core. Todavía's Sierra had one highlight, double-potting the 13 and 11 to the bottom side and top left, respectively, in an otherwise forgettable game that Lorde of Commerce dominated start to finish with good positioning and sharp accuracy in taking a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, it looked like the Tradewinds' Lorde ran out of gas, failing to convert her last ball, while the Stills' Sierra roared back, using defense and set-up work to come from far behind to tie the series at 1 and force a deciding game. Lorde still managed to walk away with a 2-1 series win, taking game 3 by pinning Sierra on the wrong end of the table and working through her shots effectively. Lorde, ranked #86 for 12-ball, will travel to Todavía to face Sierra's Stills teammate Leonardo at Apple Center in the bracket semifinals.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Nikolai v. Sydney Sierota. A slightly injured visitor will head east for a series of 8-ball between two rookies with the silver cue. Harrison's Sydney built up a big lead over Freedom's Nikolai, only to see him erase it and then blow the game as he missed the 8, with Sydney recovering to gain a 1-0 lead in the series. The Specters' Sydney had a slow start in game 2, and that almost cost her, but the Cascades' Nikolai came up short on a three-ball run late, and Sydney banked the 1 into the top side while saving position on the 8 to clinch the series at 2-0. Sydney and Nikolai dueled evenly throughout game 3, with Sydney picking up a slight edge at the end for a 3-0 series sweep. Ranked #113 for 8-ball, Sydney will participate in the bracket semifinals.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Dominic v. Nicole. The blue cue returns for this Rotation series. Atlantic's Dominic did well to overcome Southern's Nicole having a hot start, but he had no answer for her late surge at the end, as the visitor held Dominic off to win 8-7 and take a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Nicole had no answer in game 2 for a blistering pace set by the Pirates' Dominic, who cruised to an 8-1 victory in the game on a three-ball run-out that helped him tie the series at 1. Game 3 stayed tight early on, with defense prevailing, until things loosened up a bit and Dominic pulled ahead, eventually piecing a three-ball run-out together to win 8-4 in the game and 2-1 in the series. Dominic is ranked #88 in Rotation and will play in the bracket semifinals.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Ice Cream v. Hoot. In this series, we have 9-ball with the red cue. Pronger's Hoot took game 1 after exchanging short runs throughout the game with Commerce's Ice Cream and then burying the 9 on his second attempt after a miss from each player, going up 1-0 in the series. In game 2, the Tradewinds' Ice Cream made the highlight reel for a triple-pot of the 4 (carom from the cue off the 3 to the bottom side), 5 (carom off of 3 to top right), and 3 (bottom right) as part of a seven-ball run, but it meant nothing when the Tridents' Hoot buried the 9 that evaded Ice Cream, taking the game and a 2-0 series lead without doing much. Ice Cream got some redemption in game 3, winning on a bank of the 9 to the top right for a 2-1 series final. Hoot, ranked #115 for 9-ball, will next host Infinity Torpedoes veteran Gabe at Pronger's Ford Forum in the bracket semifinals.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Paps v. Americus. Speaking of the venue, we have 10-ball with the blue cue scheduled there now. Game 1 got off to a humble start, and saw the players battle to the end, with Pronger's Paps working a three-ball run around the middle of the game, only to fall behind 1-0 in the series on Atlantic's Americus hitting a three-ball run-out. The Pirates' Americus couldn't quite close out game 2, illegally potting the 10 at the end to allow Paps of the Tridents a free shot at the 10, which he buried to tie the series at 1. Americus again nearly had the game, only to watch Paps bury the 10 she left short for a 2-1 series win at the end of game 3. Ranked #107, Paps will travel to Southridge's GE Stadium Events Center to face Debby Ryan of the Defenders in the bracket semifinals.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Ms. Kitty v. Bright. The silver cue finishes its day early with this 8-ball series. Tysini's Bright had a five-ball run early and finished just in the nick of time, as Pacific's Ms. Kitty charged back with a six-ball run but ultimately fell short to Bright, who took a 1-0 lead. The Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty was again just short of getting a win, missing the 8 wide to the bottom side in game 2, and the Hummingbirds' Bright took his last ball before cutting the 8 in to clinch the series at 2-0. Ms. Kitty lost all momentum again late in game 3, blowing a large lead to Bright's three-ball run-out that earned him a 3-0 sweep. The #101 ranked 8-ball player Bright will travel home to Tysini's Cisco Arena to host Sydney Sierota of the Harrison Specters in the bracket semifinals.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Whiskers v. Bright. Before Bright gets home, he has to finish his personal doubleheader, heading inland for 10-ball with the blue cue. In game 1, Tysini's Bright scratched while attempting the 9, and Infinity's Whiskers used ball-in-hand to score the final two shots for a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Hummingbirds' Bright had the bulk of possession, running four balls early on and finally toppling the Torpedoes' Whiskers with a three-ball run-out that tied the series at 1. In game 3, Whiskers used the 2 as a wrecking ball early on, double-potting the 6 to the top side and 3 to the top right. That's where the good times ended, as Whiskers' missed contact on the 9 after a four-ball run from Bright led the visitor to sinking the last two balls for a 2-1 series win. Ranked #108 in 10-ball, Bright's bracket semifinals series venue will be determined by the next series winner.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Kelly. As expected, the second half of a blue cue 10-ball doubleheader comes from the Eastern Hills region. Both players in game 1 took myriad shots from all angles trying to collect the 10, but it took Atlantic's Delila leaving it short at the top right for Viewpoint Sound's Kelly to score it on a 9-10 combination for a 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Kelly dominated in game 2, working a seven-ball run at one point, but the early end to the run gave the Pirates' Delila all she needed to make her only shot of the game on the 10, tying the series at 1. Game 3 moved along quickly, and in the end, Kelly got the upper hand with a four-ball run-out to seal the series at 2-1. Ranked #114 in 10-ball, Kelly will travel to Cisco Arena in Tysini to face the Hummingbirds' Bright in the bracket semifinals.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Spice v. Sydney Sierota. The red cue makes its last appearance of the day for 7-ball, ending the afternoon session. In game 1, Victoria's Spice got stuck with a bad angle on the 5, and the evenly played game came to an end shortly after, as Harrison's Sydney stepped up to sink the 5 and 7 on her last two shots for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 featured an even more heartbreaking loss for the Spurs' Spice, who ended up scratching after making the 7 to give the Specters' Sydney the win and a 2-0 lead. Sydney wasted no time in game 3, winning on the break as the 7 found plastic in the top right. Sydney swept the series 3-0, and will take her #126 ranked 7-ball bid to Modernistic's Google Hall to play against the Union's Puff I in the bracket semifinals.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Mr. Snowman v. Strawberry. One of the longest setting headlines you'll ever see kicks off our night session with 15-ball and the blue cue, which will be the featured cue in all four series tonight. Viewpoint Sound's Mr. Snowman dominated possession in game 1, scoring well over half the balls. Pronger's Strawberry was better late, but she couldn't stop a kick of the 15 to the top left that put Mr. Snowman up 1-0 in the series. The Meteors' Mr. Snowman took game 2 early and unexpectedly, thanks to the Tridents' Strawberry accidentally kicking a 13-15 combination when trying to get a glancing shot on the 1, giving Mr. Snowman a 2-0 series lead. Mr. Snowman left no doubt with another solid performance in game 3, giving Strawberry few clear shots as he took a 3-0 series sweep. Ranked #107 in 15-ball, Mr. Snowman will host Goldy of the Everton Eagles at this venue in the bracket semifinals.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Spirit v. Max. The blue cue gets 7-ball in its second of four straight series. Lighton's Spirit played a level-headed and measured performance, and we know nothing of Max of Queens' performance, since Spirit ran the table from the break for a 1-0 series lead on the seven-ball stretch. The Prestige's Spirit remained composed in game 2, still owning a majority of the possession even as the Flames' Max got a few shots in, but he couldn't impact the game much as Spirit went up 2-0 in the series by making the last two shots. Spirit took game 3 easily with the 7 dropping in the top side on the break for a 3-0 series sweep. Spirit is ranked #101 for 7-ball, and she'll travel to Pacific's Verizon Field Events Center to face a fellow superstar, Starlight of the Volcanoes, in the bracket semifinals.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Cowzart v. Whiskers. The blue cue heads up the coast for some Accuracy in this series. Pearl's Cowzart worked wonderful defense late in game 1 on Infinity's Whiskers, inducing the visitor to take two misses to force overtime, but his luck ran out when Whiskers left him with nothing, and he went down 1-0 in the series on a 3-4 loss. In game 2, the Surfers' Cowzart did a lot better in shooting accurately early on, while also forcing the Torpedoes' Whiskers into some poor attempts, which helped Cowzart tie the series at 1 with a 2-4 victory. Cowzart took the series 2-1 with a valiant effort in game 3, making his mistakes only at the start and the end of the game while Whiskers peppered mistakes throughout, with Cowzart taking the game 2-4 again. Ranked #92 for Accuracy, Cowzart will travel to Diamond's Intel Center to play against Cassandra of the Gems in the bracket semifinals.
Ebay Center, Queens: Crystal v. Dusty. Finally, the day ends with Rotation and the blue cue in the southeast. Golden's Dusty tried multiple times to butcher the ending of game 1, but Queens' Crystal refused to cooperate with that ulterior motive, allowing Dusty to take the final two shots from ball-in-hand for an 8-6 win that put the visitor up 1-0 in the series. The Pilots' Dusty again carried the upper hand from start to finish in game 2, with the Flames' Crystal occasionally looking dangerous but never actually challenging in the 8-4 game that gave Dusty a 2-0 series lead. Crystal dominated in game 3, coming out of nowhere for an 8-1 win that featured her storming ahead on a six-ball run and a double-pot of the 6 and 15 to the right corners off ball-in-hand from Dusty's scratch, with the 15 taking the hit from the cue and glancing the 11 to find the pocket. Dusty took the series 2-1, and her #101 ranked Rotation bid is on to Infinity to face the Torpedoes' Shelley in the bracket semifinals at Nissan Hall.
Tomorrow should be a close replica of today, although likely a bit quicker on wrapping up to accommodate my schedule better.
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