We have eight series to cover in this post, as well as the post to be published later tonight if everything goes to plan. These series here will represent the first stage matches to get a right to play for the titles. We begin with...
HP Field Events Center, Eastside: Niki v. Mams. The first set of the day is in Rotation. Eastside's Niki ended up with the win in game 1, taking a 1-0 series lead over Viewpoint Sound's Mams with the 8-4 victory that saw her start well and end on a 12-13 combination to the bottom right in a challenging game. The Meteors' Mams did not give up, battling in a fairly even game 2 all the way to the end, eventually winning 8-7 on a tap-in of the 15 from the Sharks' Niki leaving it short. Mams tied the series at 1 with the victory. Niki bounced back for the 8-4 win in game 3 to seal the series at 2-1. Mams is the third place titlist in Rotation, while Niki visits Golden to play the Pilots' Dusty for first place.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Crystal. The next series is a set of 15-ball. Lighton's Acorn made a big impact in game 1, shooting an eight-ball run throughout the middle of the game, which helped him keep control in the game, eventually allowing him to get the last two balls when Queens' Crystal faltered, giving the host a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 ended up being much closer, but the Prestige's Acorn lost it when he committed illegal contact trying to reach the 5, which the Flames' Crystal used from ball-in-hand for a 5-15 combination in the top right to tie the series at 1. Crystal dominated possession in game 3, with a five-ball run early on and strong play at the end, all of which helped her complete the comeback, beating Acorn 2-1 in the series. Acorn takes third place while Crystal will next face Snuggle in a Rivalry match in Oceanside, as the Waves' captain is Crystal's next challenge in 15-ball.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Panda v. Patches. The third series of the first stage is 12-ball. Game 1 came down to the wire, with Boston's Patches overcoming a lot of obstacles from Southern's Panda, who had the upper hand all game and continued that by kicking the 10 into the top side for the win to go up 1-0 in the series despite Patches' attempted defense. The Swifts' Patches used her wild card ball to her advantage, while the Monarchs' Panda lost his to a scratch and an illegally potted ball, with Patches roaring back on a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand to tie the series at 1 in a very quick and tight game. Patches did all the right things in game 3, playing defensively and shooting well, but Panda was too quick for her, navigating the defense well to take the series 2-1. Patches has a third place title, while Panda gets a rivalry match with Blizzard of the Everton Eagles for first place.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Nicole v. Kelly. As part of a venue doubleheader, we have a series of 10-ball next. Viewpoint Sound's Kelly looked like the better player in game 1, with an early four-ball run to get the attack going, but she missed wide on the 10 and Southern's Nicole tapped it in to take a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Nicole again mopped up as the Meteors' Kelly couldn't close out a game, this time burying the 9 to get position on the 10, which still came from a bad angle. Kelly had a three-ball run going before she missed the 9. Nicole took a 2-0 series lead with the win. Nicole took a tepid victory in game 3, not doing much to earn the win beyond outplaying Kelly, which gave Nicole a 3-0 series sweep. Kelly holds third place for 10-ball, while Nicole next faces Spirit of the Lighton Prestige for all the glory.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Goldy v. Patches. We continue along through the first stage to 9-ball. Boston's Patches established herself early with a four-ball run, and later used Everton's Goldy missing the 6 as the key to a short two-ball run-out ending with a 7-9 combination to the bottom right for a 1-0 lead in the series. The Swifts' Patches never let the Eagles' Goldy get to the table in game 2, scoring the 2, 8, and 6 into the bottom right off the break before converting a 1-9 combination to the top right, with the 9 caroming off the 5 to find the pocket, putting Patches ahead 2-0 in the series. Goldy saved some face in game 3 as Patches couldn't settle her shot to take the 9 after working a four-ball run late in the game. The series favored Patches 2-1, with Goldy taking third place in the event and Patches moving on to meet Sydney Sierota of the Harrison Specters in the final series.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Dusky v. Sydney Sierota. The sixth series of the first stage is Accuracy. Harrison's Sydney spun out of control after holding a strong lead early on, succumbing to tie with Archtown's Dusky, until the latter missed her first shot in overtime and Sydney buried hers for a 3-4 win to take a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the story was almost identical, with the Specters' Sydney again losing a late lead to the Arrows' Dusky, but in overtime, Dusky buried a shot after Sydney missed, winning 3-4 to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Sydney kept things much more under control, taking the game 2-4 without overtime to win the series 2-1. Dusky is the third place winner in this event, while Sydney will move along to Queens to play the Flames' Paige in a star-studded Accuracy finale.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Jennifer Livilotti. The 8-ball first stage is next from the coast. Terrace City's Jennifer did not have a great start in game 1, but a three-ball run late in the game helped her find her shot against a stagnant attack from Pearl's Watermelon, and Jennifer took the game for a 1-0 lead in the series. The Surfers' Watermelon bounced back in game 2, running five balls early on. The Knights' Jennifer answered on a four-ball run, but Watermelon took the game with a three-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Jennifer looked pretty foolish when she missed contact on the 8 in game 3, allowing Watermelon to take the last two balls she needed to seal the series at 2-1. Jennifer still has pride in third place, but it will be Watermelon meeting Niki of the Eastside Sharks for first place in 8-ball.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Puff I v. Fluffina. The final series of the first stage is in 7-ball. Modernistic's Puff I had to battle with Maplewood's Fluffina early on, but she broke free for a big win on a four-ball run-out, taking a 1-0 series lead with a late show of dominance. The Union's Puff I upped the ante in game 2, wasting less time on missed shots and working a five-ball run-out, giving the Lumberjacks' Fluffina very little say in the meaningful parts of the series as Puff I owns a 2-0 series lead. Fluffina got one back in game 3 to save face, working a three-ball run-out for a 2-1 series final. Fluffina took third place in 7-ball, while Puff I gets the last ticket into the final stage, opposing Infinity Torpedoes captain Smudge.
The next post should go live no later than 9 Pacific tonight, with all the B-level champions crowned.
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