We're back to a somewhat normal schedule to play today's games. The first is in...
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Kelly v. A. Charlton. The first set of the day is Rotation with the red cue. Viewpoint Sound's Kelly had a highlight in game 1, gaining the lead by cutting the 7 to the top right and caroming the cue to take the 15 in the top left. Kelly won the game 8-4, with an 8-10 bank combination to the bottom left keying a three-ball run that led her to a 1-0 series lead on the overwhelmed Charlton of Golden. The Pilots' Charlton build up a lead in game 2 as well, but never trailed in the game, allowing the Meteors' Kelly to tie it a couple of times before Charlton ran out the last three balls for an 8-5 win to tie the series at 1. Charlton surged to an easy win despite some lazy shots at the end of game 3, burying Kelly by an 8-2 score to steal the series 2-1. Ranked #95 for Rotation, Charlton will travel to Commerce to face the Tradewinds' Ice Cream in the second round at Nike Field Events Center.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Roxy v. Blizzard. The silver cue is up for 8-ball in this series. Freedom's Roxy used a strategic scratch in game 1 against Everton's Blizzard, and when the latter missed contact, the former ran out the last three balls for the win, taking a 1-0 series lead with the smart play. Game 2 went a bit choppy for both players, with neither really piecing together a solid run. The ending favored the Cascades' Roxy, as the Eagles; Blizzard left the 8 short at the top right and Roxy was able to kick it in for the 2-0 series lead. Blizzard ended up giving the game away just after Roxy gave her a freebie, as she scratched, and Roxy made her last two shots, winning the game and sweeping the series 3-0. Roxy is ranked #18 in 8-ball, and she'll play in the second round at this venue against Rainmane of the Web City Spiders.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Princess v. A. Charlton. The silver cue stays up for some 9-ball. Tysini's Princess got away with missing the 9 short at the bottom right, as Golden's Charlton attempted a cut but hit it too hard, with the cue coming back for a scratch to give Princess the win and a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 started well, but the accuracy disappeared late, with the Pilots' Charlton winning the game on her second attempt at the 9 after the Hummingbirds' Princess couldn't pocket it. The win allowed Charlton to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Princess nearly had the win on a 2-9 combination to the bottom right, but her shot was just slightly too strong, and the cue fell in the bottom side, giving her the loss and Charlton the 2-1 series win. Charlton takes her #76 ranked 9-ball bid to the second round.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Shelley v. Dominic. The blue cue is in for this series of 10-ball. Atlantic's Dominic executed a six-ball run-out filled with good positioning and accurate shooting to win game 1 and take the 1-0 series lead over a solid but unremarkable Shelley of Infinity. The Pirates' Dominic got lucky in game 2, as he illegally potted the 8 and the Torpedoes' Shelley took possession to sink a close-in shot on the 7. Her cut of the 10 failed at the top right, and Dominic tapped it in for the win and a 2-0 series lead. Shelley surged late in game 3, but she couldn't quite cut the 10 in at the bottom side, and Dominic mopped it up to sweep the series 3-0. Ranked #76 for 10-ball, Dominic travels to Oceanside's AT&T Hall to face the Waves' Alyssa in the second round.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Dreamy v. Spice. The silver cue returns to the table for a series of Accuracy. Game 1 went to overtime, as Swordpoint's Dreamy failed to hold onto the lead she built up with Victoria's Spice pressuring on defense, making it a 3-3 tie. Spice wasted one chance to win in overtime, missing a close shot, but she buried the next one to take a 4-5 win and a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Spice played perfectly in game 2, never really giving the Blades' Dreamy a chance, although she held in for quite awhile before succumbing to the 0-2 loss. Spice clinched the series at 2-0 with the win. Spice missed the first ball in game 3, but Dreamy missed the last two in a 1-2 loss, giving Spice the series sweep at 3-0. Ranked #89 for Accuracy, Spice heads to Amazon Field Exhibition Hall in Golden for a match with the Pilots' Strut in the second round.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Mr. Snowman v. Missy. The red cue is up again for some 12-ball. Capital City's Missy used extensive set-up shots to make the end of game 1 easier, and iced it off one turn after illegal contact by Viewpoint Sound's Mr. Snowman, with her five-ball run-out sealing the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Sharpshooters' Missy was a bit less thorough in setting things up in game 2, but the Meteors' Mr. Snowman was just as less organized overall, so Missy still still got the win with precision shooting and planning, clinching the series at 2-0. Mr. Snowman still couldn't get himself set in game 3, and while Missy was set up, she needed a wild card ball and a scratch from Mr. Snowman to finish the game and complete the 3-0 sweep. Missy is ranked #92 in 12-ball, and she'll play her second round series against Sleepy B. of the Arrows in Archtown's Starbucks Arena.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Americus v. Wild Thing. The blue cue's last Rotation series of the first round is right here. Whitewater's Wild Thing had an edge after a four-ball run in the middle of the game, and while Atlantic's Americus tied it, she scratched late, allowing Wild Thing to win from ball-in-hand by an 8-6 score for a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Pirates' Americus turned the tables on the Shores' Wild Thing, coming from behind and winning 8-5 with a little bit of defense until Wild Thing missed contact, allowing Americus a tap-in to tie the series at 1. Americus nearly got beat in game 3, but Wild Thing couldn't pot the 11, and Americus worked a five-ball run-out coming from behind for an 8-7 win and 2-1 series win. Americus is the #1 ranked Rotation player, and will host Puff I of the Modernistic Union in the second round at this venue.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Smudge. The blue cue continues to play, now in use for 15-ball. Boston's Gradley had a terrible break in game 1, and it plagued the game with missed or illegal contact and scratches, the last of which allowed Infinity's Smudge ball-in-hand for a 9-15 combination to the top right for a 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Smudge had a three-ball run from the break (two on the break and a 1-15-6 combination to the top right) end in a scratch in game 2. The Swifts' Gradley brought the game to a quick close, burying the 1-15 combination to the top right to tie the series at 1. Gradley had a highlight in game 3, threading the 7 through the 10, 8, and 14 to get it in the bottom right pocket, a highly difficult shot. It wouldn't be enough, as he made a 13 and 14 double-pot combination to the bottom right later, but couldn't sink the 15, which Smudge did to claim the series 2-1. Ranked #93 for 15-ball, Smudge heads to Del Sur's Microsoft Center to face Shannon of the Southern Monarchs in a second round series.
Ebay Center, Queens: Max v. Gradley. Boston's Gradley gets a doubleheader, making the short trip to Queens to face Max in 9-ball with the silver cue. The Flames' Max had the better of play in game 1, as the Swifts' Gradley seemed a bit prone to scratching. Max made the last two balls for the win and a 1-0 lead in the series. Gradley ended another game 2 a bit early, as the stagnant middle stanza with Max came to a quick close when Gradley potted the 4-9 combination in the bottom right, tying the series at 1. Max dialed up a 2-5-3 combination early in game 3 at the top right, and then closed on a three-ball run-out with all the balls going to that same pocket for the win and a 2-1 series win. Ranked #30 for 9-ball, Max will host another local player, A. Charlton of the Golden Pilots, in the second round from this location.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Ms. Puppy v. Oreo. The silver cue is still in play, going with 15-ball this series. Ms. Puppy of Modernistic had the majority of the possession in game 1, dominating with multiple runs of three or more, but Terrace City's Oreo got the 15, giving her a 1-0 series lead against her metropolitan rival. The Union's Ms. Puppy blew it with illegal contact on the 15 in game 2, and the lateness of the play meant the Knights' Oreo had ball-in-hand for the last two shots, which she made to clinch the series at 2-0. In game 3, things started with some sharp shooting both sides, but the ending was a bit disastrous. Oreo ended up with the win, but it wasn't pretty, and she swept the series 3-0. Ranked #67 for 15-ball, Oreo heads west to AT&T Hall in Oceanside, matching up with the Waves' Alyssa in the second round.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Gabe v. Rainmane. The silver cue is on another binge, going for Accuracy here. Infinity's Gabe was nearly perfect, missing only one ball, but that was all Web City's Rainmane needed, as she stayed perfect and took the win 0-1 for a 1-0 series lead in an excellent display of shooting skill in game 1. The Spiders' Rainmane used a bunch of defensive positioning to get the Torpedoes' Gabe in trouble and force overtime in game 2, with Rainmane carrying momentum into the extra shots, where she won with makes on the 4 to the bottom side and 11 to the top right on a lucky shot for the 3-4 win and 2-0 series lead. Rainmane couldn't hold her lead in game 3, letting it slip to overtime tied at 2 until Gabe missed on his overtime shot and Rainmane made the 11-13 combination to the top right for the 2-3 win. Rainmane swept the series 3-0, and takes her #91 ranked Accuracy bid to the second round at Gillette Center in Swordpoint, facing the Blades' Shawn.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Smudge v. Bryant. The silver cue will close the afternoon with its fourth straight series, playing Rotation in a location-based doubleheader in Infinity. Maplewood's Bryant tried rallying back from Infinity's Smudge having a good early attack, but a scratch ended the rally and gave Smudge ball-in-hand to win 8-4 and take a 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Bryant fell short on his comeback attempt, as his three-ball run tied it but left the 14 short for the Torpedoes' Smudge to tap in for an 8-7 win and 2-0 series lead. Smudge couldn't hold her lead in game 3, as Bryant meticulously rallied back from being way to winning 8-7 with good defense. Smudge, ranked #26 for Rotation, advances to the second round with a 2-1 series win, hosting the Pearl Surfers' Cowzart at this venue.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Spice v. Snowball. Rotation with the silver cue also leads our evening session with another series from the Southwest. With game 1 tied and one ball on the table, Spice of Victoria struck it a bit too hard straight on, scratching, and giving Swordpoint's Snowball a free shot to win 8-7 for a 1-0 series lead in a hard-fought game. The Blades' Snowball made a more confident finish to game 2, banking the 12 to the top side for the 8-5 win, sealing the series at 2-0 as the Spurs' Spice couldn't form an adequate answer. Spice saved some face in game 3, working a wonderful six-ball run-out to win 8-2, including a double-pot of the 4 and 15 to the right corners and more excellent positioning to string the shots together. Snowball took the series 2-1, and her #76 ranked Rotation campaign heads to Freedom's Toyota Arena for a second round series with the Cascades' Roxy.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Lorde. One of the best rookies of all time hosts a current rookie in 10-ball with the blue cue. Commerce's Lorde worked a four-ball run after a stick violation from Pacific's Starlight, and a four-ball run-out on Lorde's next turn gave her a 1-0 series lead with a dominant win. The Volcanoes' Starlight got bossed around a bit by the Tradewinds' Lorde in game 2, but Starlight held on and made the last two shots from some distance to get the win and tie the series at 1. Starlight's lack of possession caught up with her in game 3, as Lorde again controlled the pace of the game, and this helped her get to a three-ball run-out to seal a 2-1 series win. Ranked #79 for 10-ball, Lorde heads to Diamond's Intel Center to face the Gems captain Smokey in the second round.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Neopolitan v. Puff I. The blue cue is still in action, but for 8-ball this series. Pearl's Neopolitan couldn't corral the last ball in her suit, allowing Puff I of Modernistic to haul herself back into the game and get the win for a 1-0 series lead with patient but persistent shooting. Neopolitan got onto the 8 in game 2, but the Surfers star was stuffed again, as the Union's Puff I defended at first and then worked a three-ball run-out to clinch the series on a 2-0 lead. Game 3 went smoothly for each side, particularly as Puff I worked in a five-ball run, but the 8 caused problems. Puff I eventually corralled the 8 to sweep the series 3-0. Ranked #82 for 8-ball, Puff I faces her ancestor, Puff II of the Swifts, at Boston's Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center in the second round.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Midnight v. Lionel. The final series tonight is 12-ball with the red cue. Westside's Midnight got off to a great start but had to weather a four-ball run from Commerce's Lionel, offset by his scratch. Lionel nearly gave the game away himself, but Midnight missed a freebie shot, and won later as Lionel was not set up, giving the host a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Midnight capitalized on again having better positioning, especially when the Tradewinds' Lionel missed contact on the 11, giving Midnight ball-in-hand for her last two balls, which she made to seal the series at 2-0. Lionel burst out to a good game in game 3, scoring a four-ball run with good set-up work on the last two balls, which took a bit of effort to get to but eventually fell to make it a 2-1 series. Ranked #34 for 12-ball, Midnight hosts Precious of the Pronger Tridents at this venue in the second round.
That's it for tonight. More games on an anticipated heavy schedule tomorrow.
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