We're back after another off day, with a full schedule planned for today (and I really mean it this time). We begin with...
Ford Forum, Pronger: Hoot v. Spice. The day begins with 8-ball and the blue cue. Pronger's Hoot just barely beat Victoria's Spice in game 1, as the latter tried and just narrowly missed on a jump toward the 7, allowing Hoot to make the last two balls for a win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Hoot had no offense in game 2, getting shut out despite the Spurs' Spice scratching twice late in the game, and Spice's mostly dominant effort earned her a win to tie the series at 1. Spice had a highlight in game 3 with the 9-6-8-12 combination to the bottom right as part of a cluster buster that started a four-ball run. Spice ended up coming from behind later in the game to get the win, taking the series 2-1 over Hoot. Ranked #86 for 8-ball, Spice goes to BMW RockDome in Westside to face the Rockers' Misty in the second round.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Kirstin v. Hoot. Pronger's Hoot makes the cross-league trip to the coast for Rotation with the red cue, it's finale in this event for the first round. Southern's Kirstin had a dream start, but Pronger's Hoot rallied back to tie it on a three-ball run before Kirstin burst ahead for an 8-4 win on a four-ball run-out, taking a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Kirstin trailed for much of game 2, and was tied with the Tridents' Hoot for most of the rest of the time, but she pulled ahead and won 8-6 with the last two balls, securing the series at 2-0. It took Hoot three tries before he was able to get the game 3 win, allowing Kirstin to get dangerously close and ironically miss her chance at victory. Kirstin, ranked #2 for Rotation, took the series 2-1, and will host Kayla of the Queens Flames at this venue in the second round.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: B. Chapman v. Neopolitan. The silver cue gets an appearance in 10-ball here. Pearl's Neopolitan didn't have much of an attack in game 1, getting pushed around with a four-ball run and a three-ball run-out by Victoria's Chapman as she surged to a 1-0 series lead with ease. The Surfers' Neopolitan bounced back in game 2, surviving a kick-combination-bank attempt on the 5-10 to the bottom right via the right rail from the Spurs' Chapman, turning it around for Neopolitan's three-ball run-out culminating in a 9-10 double-pot at the bottom right on the follow shot to tie the series at 1. Neopolitan kind of came out of nowhere in a defensive game 3, making the 10 that Chapman left short on a bank to the top right for the 2-1 series win. Ranked #87 for 10-ball, Neopolitan heads to nearby Tysini's Cisco Arena for a second round series against Hummingbirds captain Princess.
HP Field Events Center, Eastside: Graham v. Dusty. The Sharks captain chased Dusty out of Eastside and now welcomes her back as a Pilots player in what could be a nasty series of Accuracy with the silver cue between bitter personal rivals. Eastside's Graham punished Golden's Dusty thoroughly in game 1, part of which was Dusty's propensity to miss, but Graham took the game 1-7 for a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Dusty couldn't match the nastiness in game 2, but she did well to secure a 2-4 win over the Sharks' Graham, tying the series at 1 and setting up a big game between the two enemies. Graham shut things down after falling behind to Dusty early in game 3, and a scratch from Dusty sealed her fate as Graham won the series 2-1 on a 2-4 victory. Ranked #21 for Accuracy, Graham will host Stealth of the Swordpoint Blades at this venue in the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Cubby v. Sleepy B. Up in the Northeast, we stay on the silver cue Accuracy bracket for this series, but take away the nastiness a bit for a smaller, team-based rivalry. Game 1 didn't play out very cleanly, with a final score of 4-5 favoring Maplewood's Cubby for the 1-0 series lead after he induced Archtown's Sleepy B. to miss her last shot to get the win. The Lumberjacks' Cubby improved drastically for game 2, but the Arrows' Sleepy B. didn't improve at all, scratching to seal her fate in a 1-4 loss that meant Cubby clinched the series at 2-0. Game 3 was another sloppy stanza, ending 5-6 for Cubby to sweep the series 3-0. Ranked #18 in Accuracy, Cubby will host another Northeastern rival, Web City Spiders captain Shadow, at this venue in the second round.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Cheddar v. Spice. The silver cue continues another stretch with 15-ball. Whitewater's Cheddar saw good possession at the end of game 1 after Victoria's Spice had a strong start, and a three-ball run for Cheddar helped pace her to the narrow win with the 15 in the top right for a 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Cheddar used a carom off the 10 to end game 2, drilling the 15 to the bottom side for the win in stunning fashion over the Spurs' Spice, good for a 2-0 series lead. Spice got one back in game 2, winning with the last two shots in answer to a three-ball run by Cheddar in a streaky game. Cheddar took the series 2-1, and her #5 ranked 15-ball bid hosts Shiny of the Web City Spiders at this venue in the second round.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Whiskers v. Delila. The silver cue keeps going with 7-ball. Atlantic's Delila worked a four-ball run over the middle of game 1, but she left the 7 short at the bottom left, and Infinity's Whiskers proved true with the tap-in for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Whiskers dominated in game 2, using a three-ball run from the break to impose her will and a three-ball run-out with good positioning at the end to seal the series at 2-0 in a lackluster offensive effort from the Pirates' Delila. Delila dominated the possession with six potted balls in game 3, including an early four-ball run that helped her get a win and make it a 2-1 series. Still, Whiskers will host Patches of the Boston Swifts at this venue in the second round. With the loss, Delila is ousted from the tournament as the second player eliminated, and Whiskers gets her first kill of the season.
Apple Center, Todavía: Leonardo v. Midnight. The red cue is back for 15-ball in this series. Todavía's Leonardo had wondrous luck in game 1 for almost all of his opening six-ball run, and a little more in a four-ball run. Luck left him as Westside's Midnight made the last two balls to win and take a 1-0 series lead in a well-played game. Game 2 went from good to bad very quickly, as the players seemed to forget what they had from earlier. In the end, the Stills' Leonardo couldn't corral the 15 from distance, and the Rockers' Midnight buried the leave for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Leonardo came in hot with a four-ball run late in game 3, but he missed the 15 as the cue brushed by twice on the same shot, and Midnight tapped it in to sweep the series 3-0. Ranked #95 for 15-ball, Midnight will head to Nissan Hall in Infinity to face the Torpedoes' Gabe in the second round.
Intel Center, Diamond: Pedey v. Twinkie III. The blue cue makes its finale for 12-ball in the first round. Diamond's Pedey played an excellent game 1, using a three-ball run early and quick set-up work to outrun a fiercely competitive Twinkie III of Whitewater's, whose last-ditch defense failed as Pedey took the 1-0 series lead on a win. The Gems' Pedey used the same blueprint in game 2, building up a quick attack and setting himself up, and the Shores' Twinkie III couldn't even keep up this time, falling behind 2-0 in the series as she took the loss. Pedey had to fight a little harder and surrender a wild card ball in game 3, but Twinkie III couldn't get set up at all and fell again, giving Pedey the 3-0 sweep. Pedey is the #1 ranked 12-ball player and he will host the Eastside Sharks' Chelsea at this venue in the second round.
Ebay Center, Queens: Max v. Shannon. The silver cue comes back to end the afternoon with some 10-ball. Queens' Max took the game 1 after a sloppy finish that saw both players mishit their first attempts at the 10, and he buried it short after Southern's Shannon missed, giving Max the 1-0 series lead, which was probably deserved with his solid showing. The Flames' Max did not call his potting of the 7, but the Monarchs' Shannon let him play on, and he strung together a seven-ball run-out to seal the series at 2-0 with another impressive win. Shannon had an impressive sequence to win game 3, burying Max defensively and then converting the 3-10 combination after he made contact with the 3. Max still took the series 2-1, and the #6 ranked 10-ball player hosts Citrus of the Diamond Gems at this venue in the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Amber v. Missy. The silver cue is at the table again for Rotation in the evening. Atlantic's Amber had a very good game 1, winning 8-4 over Capital City's Missy, and she ended the game with an 11-12 combination to the top right, her second try at the shot, to take a 1-0 series lead. The Sharpshooters' Missy had quite a bit of luck in game 2, but it all came too late, as the Pirates' Amber started with a four-ball run from the break and never looked back, winning 8-4 to seal the series at 2-0. Missy rallied from way down in game 3, working her way back to win 8-7 at the end. Amber still won the series 2-1, and her #11 ranked Rotation campaign will host Princess of the Tysini Hummingbirds in the second round at this venue.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Wild Thing v. Cubby. The silver cue wraps up its 7-ball obligations for the first round with this set. Whitewater's Wild Thing brought game 1 to a dominant end, running out the final five balls to take a 1-0 series lead on precision execution of his shots. Maplewood's Cubby provided a scare in game 2 late after the Shores' Wild Thing ran four from the break, but the Lumberjacks' mainstay couldn't get the 7, allowing Wild Thing to tap it in and secure the series at 2-0 with the win. Cubby did everything in game 3, running five balls early and capitalizing on incidental contact by Wild Thing to double-kiss the 6 and blast the 7 to get the win. Wild Thing took the series 2-1, and the #6 ranked 7-ball player hosts Cassandra of the Diamond Gems in the second round at this venue.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: B. Chapman v. Kelly. The red cue is in for Accuracy now. Game 1 saw Victoria's Chapman take control of things early as Viewpoint Sound's Kelly struggled to land her shots very well, and Chapman had an easy going in a 2-6 win to take a 1-0 series lead with her strong play. The Meteors' Kelly held on a lot longer in game 2, but the Spurs' Chapman proved ruthless with her leaves late in the game, forcing Kelly into a couple of misses that paced Chapman to a 1-3 win to clinch the series at 2-0. Game 3 was marred by Chapman having a sub-par break shot, and it ended 4-6 in favor of Chapman after Kelly got twisted defensively. Chapman swept the series 3-0 to advance to the second round on the straggling bracket.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Strawberry v. Tigerette. The red cue stays in action for 8-ball. Pronger's Strawberry used a four-ball run early in the game to pace her attack, including the highlight bank of the 4 in traffic off the top rail and with a carom off the 6 to land in the bottom right. Commerce's Tigerette lacked a response and lost, as Strawberry owns a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Tigerette had a three-ball run-out in response to an earlier five-ball run from the Tridents' Strawberry, and with the game 2 win, Tigerette tied the series at 1. Tigerette used a similar finish in game 3, waiting for Strawberry to miss her last ball before rocking a three-ball run-out to win the series 2-1. Ranked #89 for 8-ball, Tigerette travels to Boston's Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center to face Sweetheart in the second round.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Dustin v. Wild Thing. The game is still 8-ball, but the blue cue gets this appearance. Central's Dustin got gifted a win early in game 1 when Whitewater's Wild Thing accidentally kicked the 8 to the bottom side for an illegal potting of the 8, giving Dustin the 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Wild Thing played a more careful game 2, working in a six-ball run to overwhelm the Warriors' Dustin before slicing the 8 to the bottom side to tie the series at 1 with a win of his own. Wild Thing had a four-ball run late to set himself up on the 8, but his bank landed short. Dustin scratched after potting his last ball, giving Wild Thing ball-in-hand from the kitchen, where he gave away another game and the series 2-1 by following the 8 with the cue at the top right. Dustin is ranked #10 for 8-ball, and he will host Zach of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors at this venue in the second round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Lydia v. Dustin. The red cue is back for 15-ball, as Dustin travels to the Southwest for the road half of his doubleheader. Central's Dustin had an unfortunate miss on the 15 late, leaving his bank shot just short for a solid Lydia of Lighton to tap-in for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Dustin had an equally solid game 2, and this time he didn't let the Prestige's Lydia get a shot at the 15, burying it to end a three-ball run-out that allowed him to tie the series at 1. Lydia and Dustin charged to the finish in game 3, but Lydia ended up getting a shot at the 15, only to scratch and give Dustin the 2-1 series win. Ranked #99 for 15-ball, Dustin heads to Toyota Arena in Freedom to face Cascades rookie Nikolai in the second round.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Lionel v. Jasmine. The silver cue gets its turn for some 8-ball. Freedom's Jasmine got lucky in game 1, with Commerce's Lionel running three balls late but leaving the 8 short on a well-lined cut. Jasmine then banked the 5 to the top left from the right rail and tapped the 8 in to win for a 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Jasmine had to muscle up a bit in game 2, as the Tradewinds' Lionel controlled the pace of the game until Jasmine rallied for a five-ball run. She took the 8 on the next turn as it lay where she left it at the bottom side, and her tap-in secured the series at 2-0. Jasmine made her standard comeback attempt in game 3, piecing together a five-ball run to make it close before Lionel finally grabbed a win with his three-ball run-out to make it a 2-1 series. Jasmine is ranked #75 for 8-ball, and she'll travel to Everton's Chevrolet Center to face the Eagles' Goldy in the second round.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Ice Cream v. Bryant. The night ends with a venue doubleheader, with the second series being 10-ball with the blue cue. Game 1 is barely worth spilling digital ink over, as both players struggled, which is normal for late games in difficult events. A scratch by Commerce's Ice Cream as she sank the 10 set Maplewood's Bryant up for a straight-in shot on the 10 to take a 1-0 series lead with the win. The Tradewinds' Ice Cream deferred one illegally potted ball turn back to the Lumberjacks' Bryant in game 2 after a horrendous start on both sides, but after he illegally potted another ball, Ice Cream took over for a three-ball run-out, tying the series at 1. Bryant wasted no time in game 3, bringing it to an early end with his 4-9-10 combination to the top right, a called shot to cap his four-ball run-out and seal the series at 2-1. Ranked #85 for 10-ball, Bryant will play in Harrison's Mercedes-Benz Forum in the second round, against the Specters' Twinkie II.
That's all for today. The new estimated date of completion for this round is on Friday, but there's a lot that could ruin that.
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