The games continue today, beginning with...
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Bear v. Pounce. The blue cue leads us off with Rotation. Whitewater's Bear played much better than Oceanside's Pounce in game 1, dominating from the two balls he sank on the break until the very end of an 8-1 victory, taking a 1-0 series lead with a strong opener. The Waves' Pounce did a good job in game 2 of protecting his initial lead, only letting the Shores' Bear tie it once early on, before Pounce eventually pulling away for an 8-4 win to tie the series at 1. Pounce provided a full blitz in game 3, which connected in the form of a seven-ball run-out to win 8-1, taking the series 2-1 in the process. Ranked #55 in Rotation, Pounce rockets into the second round.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Stealth v. Leonette. The red cue gets its day going with 8-ball. Game 1 went mostly back-and-forth until Swordpoint's Stealth missed contact on the 14, allowing Pacific's Leonette to get ball-in-hand to set up her last two shots, taking a 1-0 series lead with the final push. The Blades' Stealth fought off a late rally from the Volcanoes' Leonette in game 2, using the kitchen shot from her scratch to give him the 8 in the top right, tying the series at 1 with the shot from distance. Leonette sealed up game 3 after nearly blowing a large lead from the start of the game, allowing Stealth to get within a ball of the 8 before potting it to take the series 2-1. Ranked #56 for 8-ball, Leonette is into the second round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Stripes v. Crystal. The blue cue is back for a set of Accuracy. Terrace City's Stripes did a good job of plugging up shooting lanes for Queens' Crystal in game 1, allowing herself the time and space to make shots while leaving Crystal with nothing in a 1-4 win, putting Stripes up 1-0 in the series. The Flames' Crystal was undone in game 2 by a poorly-aimed shot that resulted in a scratch for her, allowing Stripes of the Knights to buckle down and take a 3-4 win to clinch the series at 2-0. Stripes played a pristine game 3, getting lucky at times and letting her skill reign for the rest in winning 0-2 to sweep the series 3-0. Stripes is ranked #29 for Accuracy and heading to the second round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Twinkie I v. Lionel. The red cue returns for 10-ball. Twinkie I of Lighton only got the break shot, as Commerce's Lionel went on a ten-ball run-out from there, sinking everything in perfect order with pinpoint accuracy to take a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Lionel kept up the suffocating attack in game 2, as the Prestige's Twinkie I got very few shots in, and Lionel closed with excellent positioning on his four-ball run-out, potting the 10 to the top right from distance as the shot that clinched the series at 2-0. Twinkie I stepped up much more in game 3, working a five-ball run that ended on a scratch after potting the 9, giving Lionel ball-in-hand on the 10, which he converted to sweep the series 3-0. Lionel is ranked #46 for 10-ball, heading to the second round.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Ice Cream v. Spirit. The two teams involved in the previous series have another match at the other venue, using the silver cue for 12-ball. Lighton's Spirit proved a bit quicker on the draw in game 1 than did Commerce's Ice Cream, scoring a three-ball run-out including an impeccable kick of the 1 from the bottom rail to the top right to take a 1-0 series lead. The kick, a highlight-worthy shot, was set with just the right angle, pace, and trajectory. The Tradewinds' Ice Cream fought back with a strong defensive effort in game 2, and the Prestige's Spirit tried counter-defense late in the game, but it narrowly failed when Ice Cream cut the 7 to the top left to tie the series at 1. Spirit thought she was out of it when she scratched while sinking the 15, but she bounced back with a sharp three-ball run-out a couple of turns later, taking game 3 and a 2-1 series win. Spirit, ranked #76 for 12-ball, will play her Prestige teammate Lydia in Lighton's Pepsi Arena in the second round.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Nikolai v. Cheddar. It's a second straight set of 12-ball with the silver cue. Nikolai of Freedom had game 1 pretty easily despite an early scratch from the rookie, eventually winning on a kick of the 3 off the right rail to bounce it in the top side, holding off Whitewater's Cheddar for a 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Nikolai made another error, shooting to the wrong pocket in game 2, and this time, the Shores' Cheddar cashed in on the ball-in-hand to win the game and tie the series at 1. Nikolai's mistakes came back to haunt him in game 3 as well, as an early scratch allowed Cheddar to get the jump and complete the game, winning the series 2-1. Ranked #78 for 12-ball, Cheddar will travel to Pronger's Ford Forum to face the Tridents' Paps in the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Rainmane v. Stripes. The silver cue stays up for 8-ball. Terrace City's Stripes used a four-ball run-out to put Web City's Rainmane in trouble in game 1, winning the game with smart shooting to take a 1-0 series lead in a tight game. Game 2 started with a frenetic pace, as Stripes of the Knights made five straight from the break, followed by a six-ball run by the Spiders' Rainmane, who eventually emerged the winner with a kick off the top rail to tap the 8 in at the bottom right, making it a 1-1 series. Rainmane completed the comeback with a solid game 3, just outlasting Stripes to take the series 2-1. Ranked #28 for 8-ball, Rainmane will play in the second round.
HP Field Events Center, Eastside: Chelsea v. Nikolai. The red cue is back in action, playing 9-ball. Eastside's Chelsea nearly lost it after illegal use of the cue, but Freedom's Nikolai had a narrow miss on the 8 at the top right, allowing Chelsea to make the last two balls and go up 1-0 in the series. The Sharks' Chelsea paid for a late scratch on her attempt at the 9, as the Cascades' Nikolai buried it from ball-in-hand to tie the series at 1. Nikolai had the worst luck at the end of game 3, popping his wrist on the failed masse shot that never turned, which then banked the 9 illegally to the top left, giving him a loss and Chelsea the 2-1 series win. Ranked #29 for 9-ball, Chelsea will host B. Chapman of the Victoria Spurs at this venue in the second round.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Paps v. Noelle. The red cue remains at the table, playing Accuracy now. Pronger's Paps fell apart late in game 1, missing three straight shots as Central's Noelle forced the game into overtime and ended it at a 3-4 win for herself early on there, giving her a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Noelle played a perfect game 2, just barely besting the almost-perfect Paps of the Tridents in her 0-1 win, giving her the 2-0 series lead to clinch a spot in the next round. Game 3 was also a show of excellence for both players despite a challenging look early on, with Noelle again taking the win by a 1-2 score to sweep the series 3-0. Noelle is ranked #55 for Accuracy, and she'll play in the second round.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Panda v. Cassandra. This rhyming series is for 8-ball with the silver cue. Southern's Panda started with a six-ball run from the break, and after a doldrums period, Diamond's Cassandra ran out all eight balls she needed for the win, using good positioning to take a 1-0 series lead on the impressive shooting display. The Gems' Cassandra blew it in game 2, trying to separate the 13 and 15, which resulted in the 15 sending the 8 illegally into the top right, gifting a win to the Monarchs' Panda to tie the series. Cassandra made up for it in game 3, although it took her numerous shots to get a look at the 8, nearly allowing Panda the chance to win before sinking the 8 and taking a 2-1 series win. Cassandra, ranked #67 for 8-ball, goes to the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Sweetheart v. Bells. The game is still 8-ball, but the red cue is in play again. Boston's Sweetheart had a five-ball run among the many notable moments in game 1, using it to pressure Oceanside's Bells, which worked when she missed her last ball and Sweetheart made the 8 for a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Sweetheart used a five-ball run from the break and good defense to force the Waves' Bells to play risky, which again did not go well, allowing Sweetheart to clinch the series at 2-0. Sweetheart had fun with game 3, casually shooting but producing a highlight with a flying double-kiss on the 4 to pot it in the top right, and eventually she beat Bells anyway, sweeping the series 3-0. Sweetheart takes her #42 ranked 8-ball bid into the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Dominic v. Kirstin. The final series in the afternoon portion of the day is 7-ball with the blue cue. Atlantic's Dominic ended up putting defense on his own shot, leading to ball-in-hand for Southern's Kirstin, who sprung off of that with a three-ball run-out for a 1-0 series lead. The Monarch's Kirstin dominated in game 2, controlling possession and capitalizing on a scratch by the Pirates' Dominic to get a four-ball run-out and secure the series at 2-0. In game 3, Kirstin scored 6 of the 7 balls, but left the 7 short at the top right, giving Dominic a tap-in for a win, making it a 2-1 series. Ranked #57 for 7-ball, Kirstin advances to the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Amber v. Shadow. The beginning of the night games concludes a venue doubleheader, with the silver cue up for 12-ball yet again. In game 1, Atlantic's Amber received a gift from Web City's Shadow, whose missed contact led Amber to a four-ball run-out of mostly tap-ins at the corners for a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Shadow managed to get the Pirates' Amber in a bad position in game 2, using that to his advantage on defense to earn ball-in-hand for his last shot, winning the game to tie the series at 1. Shadow looked in good shape for game 3, but two scratches derailed his entire game, and Amber was ready, making five of her six well-set-up shots, butchering the last one but managing to sink it in time to take the series 2-1. Ranked #26 for 12-ball, Amber will host Whiskers of the Infinity Torpedoes in this venue in the second round.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Twinkie III v. Valencia. The blue cue is back in action for 10-ball. Golden's Valencia lost game 1 by missing the 10 toward the top side, ending her three-ball run and giving Whitewater's Twinkie III a simple enough shot on the 10 to the top left to take a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Valencia stepped her game up in game 2, running out the last six balls through great positioning and accurate cuts, tying the series at 1 with the Shores' Twinkie III, who could only watch what was happening. Twinkie III hit the highlight reel in game 3, threading the cue between the 4 and the 9, kicking it off the bottom rail, dodging the 6, and potting the 3 in the top left for the miracle shot. Twinkie III also took the game after Valencia missed a 9-10 combination to the top right, potting each individually to take the series 2-1. Ranked #38 for 10-ball, Twinkie III is through to the second round.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Stealth v. Niki. The red cue gets its evening time, playing 9-ball. Swordpoint's Stealth had no trouble in game 1, dominating possession and taking advantage of mistakes from Eastside's Niki, her last leading to his three-ball run-out to take a 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Stealth still had the better of the possession in game 2, but the result was different, as the Sharks' Niki got a look at the last two balls and converted, tying the series at 1 by taking a long shot on the 9 to the top left from close to the bottom right. Niki tried to play defense in game 3, but that's not the best strategy in 9-ball, falling as Stealth caromed the cue off the 6 and into the 9, which dropped at the bottom right to give him a 2-1 series win. Ranked #27 in 9-ball, Stealth hosts Lorde of the Commerce Tradewinds at this venue in the second round.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Noelle v. Cowzart. The silver cue is back for more 12-ball. My patience for the random number generator wanes as it appears to favor a few numbers more than others. Pearl's Cowzart got into position rather quickly, putting Central's Noelle in a tough spot, and she chose to defend but didn't succeed, narrowly letting Cowzart sink his final ball for a 1-0 lead in the series. The Warriors' Noelle answered in game 2 with a similar defensive play, but it worked this time, as the Surfers' Cowzart was too slow to get to the pockets they both needed, allowing Noelle to win and tie the series at 1. In game 3, both players remained cagey until the end, when an all-out sprint to the finish occurred, favoring Noelle when she deposited the 3 in the top side to take the series 2-1. Noelle, ranked #25 for 12-ball, hosts Misty of the Westside Rockers at this venue in the second round.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Chicky Phil v. Sparkles. The red cue is back for 10-ball this time. Westside's Chicky Phil did all the work over three turns in game 1, destroying Todavía's Sparkles with an opening four-ball run and a six-ball run-out, both using strong cuts and positioning to be accomplished, with Chicky Phil earning a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Chicky Phil made the highlight reel with a jump over the 10 to knock the 9 into the top right. He botched his first attempt at the 10, but so did the Stills' Sparkles, and Chicky Phil made it the second time taking a 2-0 series lead. Sparkles got one back with a strong finishing shot in game 3, caroming the cue off the 4 to pot the 10 in the top right, making it a 2-1 series win for the #39 ranked 10-ball player, Chicky Phil, who is in the second round now.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Amber v. Americus. There's a lot of A's in this all-Pirates match of 9-ball with the red cue. Amber ended up taking the win despite her three-ball run ending on illegal use of the cue, as Americus couldn't convert on the 6-9 combination, which Amber did make to go up 1-0 in the series. Americus made a series of it with a confident finish to a sloppy game 2, banking the 9 off the top rail to the bottom side to tie the series at 1 after Amber stumbled a bit with inaccurate shooting. Americus ended up getting the benefit of a clean shot to end game 3 as well, winning the series 2-1. Ranked #78 for 9-ball, Americus heads to Pearl's Honda Driftwood Coliseum for a second round match with the Surfers captain Watermelon.
That's all for tonight. We'll have some holiday games tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment