We're going to combine games played on Saturday and Sunday in this post due to time constraints on both days. We're aiming for 16 series again, but we'll take a little more or less comfortably. We begin with...
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Spirit. We begin the round with the blue cue playing 7-ball. Pacific's Starlight had the better of play in game 1, although she appeared to be shaking off a bit of rust as well, still enough to take a 1-0 series lead over a weak attack from Lighton's Spirit. The Volcanoes' Starlight entered top form in game 2, running out the final five balls to take a stunning 2-0 series lead over the very quiet Spirit of the Prestige. Starlight ended up winning the series 2-1, dominating during a six-ball run in game 3, but missing a bank on the 7 that Spirit tapped in for the win. Starlight still advances with her #95 ranked 7-ball campaign to the bracket final.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Paps v. Charli XCX. The red cue will get the next four appearances, with 15-ball in this first series. Pronger's Paps did a wonderful job, with a five-ball run early and dominant play throughout, answered very closely by Tysini's Charli, but the latter couldn't overcome the precision of the former, who went up 1-0 on a drilled shot on the 15 to the top right in a dazzling game. The Hummingbirds' Charli tied the series at 1 by winning game 2, a much sloppier game that featured numerous errors. In the end, the Tridents' Paps tried to pin Charli at a bad angle, but she navigated it perfectly to take the 15 in the bottom side. Charli ended up winning with a brilliant run of form in game 3, a six-ball run-out capped by a carom off the 12 that deposited the 15 to the bottom side for the 2-1 series win. Charli, ranked #110 for 15-ball, will learn who she will host in the bracket final later on Saturday.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Panda v. Patches. The red cue continues its short tour with 9-ball. Southern's Panda is going to be beating himself up for awhile after squandering his late five-ball run with a wide miss on the 9 late, allowing Boston's Patches to tap the 9 in for a 1-0 series lead with very little actual effort. The Swifts' Patches took matters into her own hands in game 2, answering a four-ball run by the Monarchs' Panda with a virtuoso five-ball run-out, including a crisp bank of the 8 to the bottom side and a long strike on the 9 to the top left to clinch the series at 2-0. Patches still looked like the better player in game 3, but Panda turned a long strike on the 9 to the top left into the win that made it just a 2-1 series win for Patches. With the series win, Patches takes her #116 ranked 9-ball bid into the bracket final.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shadow v. Crystal. Two longtime captains battle in the other 15-ball series for the red cue. Game 1 ended with Web City's Shadow on a three-ball run-out, impressively banking the 15 to the bottom right in an otherwise workmanlike game to take a 1-0 series lead on Queens' Crystal. The Flames' Crystal answered with a three-ball run-out of her own in the quick-paced game 2, winning with good positioning to tie the series at 1 as the Spiders' Shadow made a critical scratch that gave Crystal the ball-in-hand for her run. Shadow looked on a mission in game 3, running four balls late before a scratch derailed his campaign. Crystal took the 15 from ball-in-hand, winning the series 2-1. As alluded to before, the #132 ranked Crystal will head to Cisco Arena in Tysini to face Charli of the Hummingbirds in the bracket final.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Blizzard v. Boots. Solid Core club players continue to feature in this Rotation series, the last of four straight with the red cue and Saturday's finale. Everton's Blizzard quickly overcame a hot start by Southridge's Boots, dominating the middle parts of the game en route to an 8-3 victory for a 1-0 series lead. The Eagles' Blizzard resorted to a suffocating defensive posture in game 2, prevent the Defenders' Boots from doing much. Boots did get in the game enough to tie it, but a four-ball run-out from Blizzard for an 8-3 win made it a 2-0 series in favor of the host. Blizzard continued to impress, coming from behind on Boots in game 3 with a six-ball run-out to lay claim to an 8-4 win to take the series in a 3-0 sweep. Blizzard, ranked #104 in Rotation, is through to the bracket final.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Shaggy v. Niki. Sunday's eleven series begin with the silver cue and 8-ball. Game 1 went in favor of Southridge's Shaggy despite a furious comeback attempt late in the game from Eastside's Niki, putting Shaggy up 1-0 in the series with the narrow victory. The Sharks' Niki had her defense hold up in game 2, limiting the Defenders' Shaggy to a three-ball run before turning around with a five-ball run-out that helped Niki tie the series at 1 with a strong and confident finish. Niki stepped up again late in game 3, scoring a four-ball run-out to give herself a 2-1 series win over a bold but defensively weak Shaggy. Niki is ranked #114 for 8-ball and will play in the bracket final.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Mr. Snowman v. Goldy. The next series of the day is 15-ball with the blue cue. Viewpoint Sound's Mr. Snowman brought game 1 to a quick end despite leaving himself with a poor shot after making the 1. Much to the surprise of Everton's Goldy, Mr. Snowman kicked the cue off the left rail, striking the 2 into the 15, which rolled to the top right for the win and a 1-0 series lead, a highlight-reel shot that sent the crowd into a frenzy. The Eagles' Goldy looked better in a more extended effort, eventually topping the Meteors' Mr. Snowman with a three-ball run-out after his mishit on the 10 left things lined up well for Goldy to even the series at 1. In game 3, Mr. Snowman carried most of the late possession, which in turn made it much easier for him. He finally defeated Goldy by banking the 15 from the top rail to the bottom left for the 2-1 series win. Ranked #107 in 15-ball, Mr. Snowman will play in the bracket final.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Alyssa v. Fluffina. The blue cue continues along, with 8-ball again the game. Maplewood's Fluffian had a five-ball run around the middle of game 1 that served her well, proving too much for Oceanside's Alyssa to overcome once Fluffina closed out her final two shots for a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Alyssa looked to be in charge when she ran out of clear shots, but the Lumberjacks' Fluffina ran out all eight of the balls she needed, pulling off an ideal 8-ball performance to clinch the series at 2-0 after game 2. Fluffina again came from behind on Alyssa in game 3, in a less dramatic finish that saw her score the last two balls to secure the 3-0 sweep. Ranked #130 for 8-ball, Fluffina is through to the bracket final.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Bright v. Patches. The red cue makes its first Sunday appearance, shooting 12-ball. Boston's Patches took game 1, using the advantage of a wild card ball surrendered by Tysini's Bright to pick and choose her shot direction, eventually navigating staunch defense to finish her set and go up 1-0 in the series. In game 2, Patches again had a wild card ball, but still needed to flash a bit of skill and style to overcome an unfavorable alignment from the Hummingbirds' Bright, eventually making the last two balls on impressive cuts to seal the series at 2-0. Bright dazzled in game 3, needing just three turns, two of which included three-ball runs, to take the win. The second run was the finisher, with impressive distance and cut shots included. Patches played well, as she was positioned for her final ball had Bright missed either of his last two shots. Patches still advances on a 2-1 series win, taking her #124 ranked 12-ball campaign to the bracket final.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Bear v. Sierra. The silver cue is back for the first of two 7-ball series in a row. Whitewater's Bear managed to take game 1 despite a weak start and slow ending, letting Todavía's Sierra run four balls late before she twice missed the 7 to allow Bear a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 followed a similar blueprint, although the Shores' Bear had a three-ball run from the break and looked ready late, until exchanging another mediocre finish with the Stills' Sierra that saw Bear bury the 7 on his third attempt, clinching the series at 2-0. Sierra salvaged game 3 in the series, finishing on a three-ball run-out to put Bear at a 2-1 series win. Bear takes his #95 ranked 7-ball bid into the bracket final.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Dusky v. Fluffina. The other half of the 7-ball doubleheader is in the northeast with the blue cue. The slow finishes continued into this series, with Maplewood's Fluffina finally bringing a merciful end to game 1 after multiple misses on the 7 by Archtown's Dusky, as Fluffina takes a 1-0 lead. The Arrows' Dusky did a good job of poaching game 2 from the Lumberjacks' Fluffina, as the latter had a six-ball run from the break but left the 7 vulnerable, where Dusky potted it to tie the series at 1. Fluffina stepped up in game 3, besting Dusky with an early run and then making the final two balls to advance on a 2-1 series win. Fluffina's #131 ranked 7-ball bid next faces Starlight of the Volcanoes at Pacific's Verizon Field Events Center in the bracket final.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Debby Ryan v. Paps. The action shifts to the southeast, where 10-ball is played with the blue cue. Southridge's Debby took advantage of a scratch that ended a late four-ball run by Pronger's Paps, using ball-in-hand on the 8 to get good position for the 10, which she knocked in the bottom right for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 ended up being well played on both sides, with the Tridents' Paps getting the better of it, taking a three-ball run-out to tie the series at 1 with the Defenders' Debby. In game 3, short runs were the theme of the stanza, and the game ended when Debby got a second chance on the 10, placing it in the bottom left. Debby took the series 2-1 over Paps, and she'll advance to the bracket final with her #103 ranked 10-ball bid.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Sydney Sierota v. Pounce. The blue cue gets its last series of the day, a 9-ball set in he northeast. Harrison's Sydney played a slightly stronger game than Oceanside's Pounce, and she was rewarded with a nice finish to take a 1-0 lead in the series. The Specters' Sydney nearly lost game 2 with a weak miss on the 6, but the Waves' Pounce couldn't get the right angle on the 9, and Sydney cleaned it up to clinch the series at 2-0, continuing an unprecedented rookie campaign. Sydney sent the fans home happy as well, winning game 3 on a stunning double-pot, caroming the cue off the 7 to take the 9 in the top side, with the angle lending itself to the 7 banking into the bottom side. Sydney swept Pounce out 3-0, and her #96 ranked 9-ball campaign continues to the bracket final.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Valencia v. Noelle. The red cue is back for this 7-ball series. Golden's Valencia took game 1, making the final two shots to top Central's Noelle in a mostly competitive game, with Noelle's only mistake being illegal contact on the 7 late in the game that allowed Valencia to go up 1-0 in the series. The Warriors' Noelle got a lucky break in game 2, potting the 7 after the Pilots' Valencia narrowly missed it to the top right, which halted a six-ball run from the break. The series stood tied at 1. Noelle answered sharply in game 3, playing well with a four-ball run from the break and sinking the 7 to the top left from distance to take the series 2-1 from Valencia. Ranked #110 in 7-ball, Noelle is through to the bracket final. This series was also a rivalry despite not being marked as such on the schedule.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Tigerette v. Mams. The silver cue wraps up its day with a series of Rotation in the urban core. Tigerette of Commerce established a lead early in game 1, and made it hold up despite Viewpoint Sound's Mams making a late rally, with Tigerette taking a 1-0 series lead on an 8-5 win. The Meteors' Mams followed an almost identical script in game 2, turning the table on the Tradewinds' Tigerette with an 8-5 win that saw her pull far ahead around mid-game only to surrender a bit before the finish, tying the series at 1. Mams got off to a big start in game 3, and she made it hold up for another 8-5 win, making the last two shots as the 10 from distance and the 12 on a bank to the bottom side for the 2-1 series win. Mams is ranked #111 for Rotation, and will play in the bracket final.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Shelley v. Charli XCX. The final series of the day is 12-ball with the red cue. In game 1, Tysini's Charli got a wild card ball around the middle of the game as Infinity's Shelley tried to clear space on the table, but Charli ultimately benefited, taking the game easily with the added flexibility for a 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Charli overcame surrendering a wild card ball on the break partly because the Torpedoes' Shelley gave it back and partly because of Charli's smart shooting helping her out, as she deftly navigated the table to take a 2-0 lead in the series. Charli again overcame an early deficit in game 3, working wonderful shooting and mistakes from Shelley to take a 3-0 series sweep. Ranked #129 for 12-ball, Charli will travel to Boston to face the Swifts' Patches in the bracket final at Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center.
More games tomorrow, likely the bulkiest day of the round.
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