We had thirteen series to open up the top tier of this year's tournament. We begin with...
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Bright v. Kayla. The first series came in Rotation, with the red cue doing the honors. In game 1, Tysini's Bright mopped up the 15 to the top right corner for an 8-7 win, taking a 1-0 series lead. Queens' Kayla had a three-ball run early in game 2, pacing her attack. The Hummingbirds' Bright tried to rally back, but the Flames' Kayla finished with an 8-2 win to tie the series at 1. Kayla used a three-ball run early in game 3 and a three-ball run-out late for an 8-4 win in game 3, clinching the series 2-1. Kayla is the first player through to the second round.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Wild Thing v. Leonardo. The first of ten players who did not appear in B-level games gets the hosting honors in this Accuracy series with the silver cue. The final ball caused havoc in game 1, eventually forcing overtime, where a miss by Todavía's Leonardo set Whitewater's Wild Thing up for the 6-7 win and a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, Wild Thing remained dominant for the Shores, and the Stills' Leonardo had many misses, allowing Wild Thing to go up 2-0 in the series on a 2-6 win. Leonardo missed six straight shots in game 3, allowing Wild Thing another easy win by the same 2-6 score, for a 3-0 series sweep that puts Wild Thing through to round two.
Verizon Field, Pacific: Jack v. Ruby. The silver cue remains at the table for 12-ball now. Archtown's Ruby had a three-ball run and good positioning to gain the edge on a poorly organized Jack of Pacific in game 1, making it a 1-0 series lead for the Arrows' Ruby. In game 2, the Volcanoes' Jack took advantage of a wild card ball, using the added flexibility to convert a three-ball run-out at the end of the game to move into a tie at 1 for the series. In game 3, Jack's defense failed him despite being set fairly well in that regard, as he missed on his final ball from a ball-in-hand position. Ruby got set up later and finished the game, taking the series 2-1 to advance into the second round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Brownie v. Slinks. The all-Specters 9-ball series with the red cue began with a game 1 highlight from Brownie, as she double-potted the 5 to the top side and the 8 to the top right, but Slinks mopped up the last two balls for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 featured a lot of back-and-forth play, with a late Slinks scratch putting Brownie through by putting the 9 in the bottom left from ball-in-hand, tying the series at 1. In game 3, Slinks proved superior, working a three-ball run-out that ended with a bank of the 9 from the right rail to the top left to take the series 2-1 and advance to the second round.
Verizon Field, Pacific: Starlight v. Misty. Back along the coast, the red cue is back to Rotation. Pacific's Starlight dominated in game 1, working a six-ball run to pace herself on an 8-1 win for a 1-0 series lead over Westside's Misty. In game 2, the Volcanoes' Starlight scratched three times, helping the Rockers' Misty use a four-ball run and lots of free shots to take the game 8-3 and tie the series at 1. Game 3 ended up being a lot of back-and-forth play, but Misty made the last two shots in the game to seal an 8-6 win and take the series 2-1, putting herself into the second round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Chicky Phil. The red cue continues its run, now playing 12-ball. Game 1 followed a race format, with Westside's Chicky Phil making a late and successful three-ball run-out after Lighton's Acorn took a little too long to get set up, giving Chicky Phil a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, Acorn scratched late in the game, but it just delayed his win as Chicky Phil had no direct shot, with the Prestige captain tying the series at 1. Chicky Phil had a three-ball run to pull ahead in game 3, but missed a shot from distance, allowing Acorn to make his last two balls and take the series 2-1. Acorn advances to the second round.
Ebay Center, Queens: Kayla v. Juno. Another of the A-level only players is the visitor here for 15-ball with the silver cue. Modernistic rookie Juno debuted in competitive play with a three-ball run-out in game 1, stunning Queens' Kayla to take a 1-0 series lead in a competitive game. In game 2, Kayla had a four-ball run early and a three-ball run late, but it didn't earn her the game, as the Union's Juno cut the 15 in to clinch the series at 2-0. In game 3, Juno ran out of magic, running four balls before scratching, with Kayla potting the 15 from ball-in-hand to salvage a 2-1 series win in favor of Juno. With the series win, Juno is through to the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Diddley v. Patches. The silver cue stays active for 8-ball. Patches of Boston had a four-ball run in game 1, but Maplewood's Diddley chipped away, using interesting maneuvers to top the Swifts' Patches for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 had a bit of a sloppy ending, with Patches missing contact on the 8, allowing Diddley of the Lumberjacks to mop it up for a 2-0 series lead. Patches found another way to lose in game 3, scratching on the 8 to end a three-ball run and give Diddley the 3-0 series sweep. Diddley is into the second round with the convincing series win.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Shaggy v. Pounce. A daughter hosts her father for 15-ball with the silver cue. Southridge's Shaggy played her best at the start and end of Game 1, shutting down Oceanside's Pounce to take a 1-0 lead in the series. In game 2, the Waves' Pounce left the 15 short at the bottom left corner, and the Defenders' Shaggy tapped it in for a 2-0 series lead. Shaggy a late four-ball run in game 3, but it wouldn't be enough, as Pounce buried the 15 to make it a 2-1 series win for Shaggy, who will play in the second round.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Ice Cream v. Sparkles. The game is again Rotation with the red cue. Both players had a weak start in game 1, but Todavía's Sparkles pulled away for an 8-1 win when Commerce's Ice Cream kept scratching, giving the former a 1-0 lead in the series. In game 2, the Tradewinds' Ice Cream overcame repeated illegal contact shots, taking the 15 from ball-in-hand after a scratch by the Stills' Sparkles for an 8-7 win that tied the series at 1. In game 3, Ice Cream used a three-ball run-out to clinch the fast-paced 8-7 win that put her into the second round on a 2-1 series win.
HP Field Events Center, Eastside: Chelsea v. Marsell. The blue cue makes its first appearance of the A-levels in 12-ball. Royal's Marsell used effective defense to claim a 1-0 series lead over Eastside's Chelsea in an unremarkable game 1. The Sharks' Chelsea bounced back in game 2, improving with positioning and accuracy to tie the series at 1 with the Crowns' Marsell. In game 3, Chelsea's defense prevented Marsell from making legal contact, and Chelsea finished off the game for a 2-1 series win. Chelsea will play in the second round.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Wild Thing v. Sierra. The silver cue is up for 10-ball. Todavía's Sierra tapped in the 10 after Whitewater's Wild Thing left it short at the bottom right, taking a 1-0 series lead with the easy finish to game 1. In game 2, the Stills' Sierra caromed a 4-10 combination off the 6, called to the bottom right to clinch the series at 2-0 on a highlight reel shot. The Shores' Wild Thing had no answer in game 3 either, watching Sierra pull off a five-ball run-out to clinch a 3-0 series sweep to advance to the second round.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Twinkie III v. Lorde. The location-based doubleheader concludes the games for the day, with a series of 8-ball with the silver cue. In game 1, Commerce rookie Lorde used a five-ball run to pace her attack, finishing on a distance shot after a scratch by Whitewater's Twinkie III that allowed the rookie a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Shores' Twinkie III used a six-ball run to ignite her offense, and a pair of mistakes from the Tradewinds' Lorde paved the way for Twinkie III to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Lorde had a four-ball run-out to top Twinkie III in a fast-paced game, taking the series 2-1 and advancing to the second round.
Pool updates will be sporadic for the next couple of months, but I hope to play one to three times a month at this point.
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