Here's another day of games. Only about half of the brackets are active at this time, but there are some with a lot left. One of those leads us off, as...
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Shelley v. Chimpy. The red cue gets the nod for Accuracy to open the day. Modernistic's Chimpy played an excellent game 1, combining inefficiency from Infinity's Shelley and his own defensive tactics to stake out an 0-4 win and earn a 1-0 series lead in a textbook performance. The Union's Chimpy stayed perfect for game 2, and while the Torpedoes' Shelley made it a bit closer, she couldn't induce a miss as Chimpy clinched the series at 2-0. Chimpy lost a step in game 3, losing 2-3 as Shelley took control late in the game, but Chimpy still won the series 2-1. Ranked #78 for Accuracy, Chimpy will play in the Southwest again in the second round, as he visits the Spurs' B. Chapman at Sprint Hall in Victoria.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Americus v. Dreamy. The red cue stays on to finish its first round obligations in 8-ball. Atlantic's Americus scored two balls on the break, but she couldn't carry momentum. Swordpoint's Dreamy broke through defensive tactics and used a four-ball run-out to win and take a 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Americus played very well in game 2, especially for positioning, but her execution lacked sharpness, and the Blades' Dreamy cashed in. Dreamy made a three-ball run-out, including a bank of the 5 from left rail to top right at a bad angle, to win again after Americus left the 8 short at the bottom right, and Dreamy sealed the series at 2-0. Americus made a wicked kick on the 13 to the bottom right to get a late three-ball run, but she shot wide on the 8, allowing Dreamy to bank the 5 to the top side and cut the 8 to the top left to sweep the series 3-0 with another win. Dreamy is the #95 ranked 8-ball player, and she'll play Marsell of the Crowns at Royal's Kraft Forum in the second round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Dusty v. Chelsea. After visiting Graham recently, Dusty deals with another former teammate in a heated rivalry from the southeast, playing 10-ball with the red cue. Golden's Dusty controlled the pace in game 1, and after one of many fouls by Eastside's Chelsea, Dusty knocked the 5-10 combination from range into the bottom left to win and take a 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Chelsea made it a much closer game 2, and ended up taking the win with the last two shots as the Pilots' Dusty didn't have the best of luck with her shots. The series stands tied at 1 at this point. Dusty struggled on the 1 in game 3, and she left it too close to the 10, where Chelsea used it as an agent to carom the cue into the 10 and pot the latter at the bottom right for a 2-1 series win. Ranked #74 for 10-ball, Chelsea will travel to Pronger's Ford Forum for a second round match against the Tridents' Hoot.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Nightfur v. Sleepy B. The silver cue makes an appearance in Rotation now. Royal's Nightfur came out with quite a bit of luck, but when that left her, Archtown's Sleepy B. had no answer, so Nightfur ground out an 8-2 victory to take a 1-0 series lead with a lot of carom shots. Game 2 didn't play out very quickly either, until the Crowns' Nightfur found pinpoint accuracy and ripped off a four-ball run-out to win 8-5, as the Arrows' Sleepy B. provided virtually no threat to Nightfur securing the series at 2-0. Nightfur wrapped things up with a win in game 3 as well, taking it 8-5 for the 3-0 series sweep as Sleepy B. came off overwhelmed. Ranked #9 for Rotation, Nightfur hosts Sierra of the Todavía Stills in the second round at this venue.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Frosty v. Paige. Urban Core South rivals make up the second part of a doubleheader in Royal, with 8-ball and the blue cue in play. Royal's Frosty rallied with a six-ball run in game 1, but she lost her momentum, allowing Queens' Paige to bounce back and win on a three-ball run-out with good positioning for a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Frosty had a rough start to game 2 until the Flames' Paige had a cluster buster sink two of Frosty's balls. This ignited her offense, and she rallied to get the win and tie the series at 1. Paige rebounded in game 3, but it took an epic six-ball run-out for the win as Frosty applied late pressure. Paige sealed the game with a slow-rolling bank of the 8 from right rail to bottom left, adding to the drama in her 2-1 series win. Ranked #92 for 8-ball, Paige will head to Oceanside's AT&T Hall to face Snuggle of the Waves in the second round. With the loss, Frosty may have played her last game for Royal, as she is the fourth player eliminated from the tournament. Paige has her first kill of the season.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Lydia. The blue cue's 8-ball first round ends with an all-Prestige series. Lydia's best shooter ended up being her teammate and captain Acorn, who sank all of his balls and half of hers, including a scratch after sinking the 8 that gave Lydia the win and a 1-0 lead in the series. Acorn kept to himself a bit better this game and was on the verge of a shutout before Lydia sank her suit on two turns. Her shot on the 8 was good to the bottom left, but the cue found the bottom right. After the teammates got their Panic! at the Disco on with their trade of mistakes, the series is tied at 1 in a fun environment. Lydia had another slow start in game 3, and that probably cost her, as Acorn played a responsible finish and won the series 2-1 just as Lydia was catching up. Ranked #3 for 8-ball, Acorn will host the Capital City Sharpshooters' Sprinkles at this venue in the second round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Sydney Sierota v. Starlight. The series is 12-ball with the red cue, with all eyes on Starlight's eye injury and how it might affect her. Pacific's Starlight appeared to be fine in game 1, getting off to a slow start but leaving Harrison's Sydney with poor shots late until she positioned herself to take her last two shots, good for a win and a 1- 0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Starlight got the win in game 2 as well, working into position for her last two shots in a game where she and the Specters' Sydney exchanged wild card balls. Starlight clinched the series at 2-0. Starlight didn't stop there, coming from behind to topple Sydney in game 3, making five of her six balls over the last two turns after some extensive set-up work to sweep the series 3-0. Starlight, ranked #101 in 12-ball, will be in Maplewood at UPS Hall to face Diddley of the Lumberjacks in the second round. With the loss, Sydney's once-promising Rookie of the Year campaign closes early, which will push her out of the minds at the end of the season as she is the fifth to be eliminated. She's still likely to return to the Specters. Starlight has her first kill of the season with the big win.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Sugar v. Shiny. Very nearby, the silver cue plays 9-ball in an intra-team game for the Spiders' lesser-known players. Game 1 took almost no time at all, as Shiny responded to a three-ball run from Sugar with a four-ball run-out of her own, winning on a 7-9 combination meticulously assembled to the bottom right for the 1-0 series lead for Shiny. Sugar botched game 2 pretty badly, as Shiny applied pressure and left Sugar with a bad angle on the 5. Her attempt struck the 9 to the top right illegally, giving Shiny a 2-0 series lead instead. Shiny also took a very competitive game 3, banking the 9 to the top left to seal a 3-0 series sweep of her teammate. Ranked #89 in 9-ball, Shiny travels to Terrace City's Audi Hall to face Kiwi of the Knights in the second round.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Dani v. Neopolitan. The blue cue is back in action at Accuracy. Capital City's Dani didn't exactly dominate in game 1, but Pearl's Neopolitan couldn't hold up at all, and while Dani missed a couple late, she won 2-4 for a 1-0 series lead with a bit of comfort. Game 2 saw regulation end in a tie, as the Sharpshooters' Dani twice missed a chance to bury the Surfers' Neopolitan and will have to break in overtime. There, Dani missed twice, and Neopolitan turned in a 2-12 combination to the top right to win 4-5 and tie the series at 1. Neopolitan controlled game 3 pretty well, winning 3-5 over Dani, with the score getting that bad because the last ball was a struggle. Ranked #64 for Accuracy, Neopolitan heads to Tysini to face Hummingbirds rookie Charli XCX in the second round.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Yekaterina Vasilyeva v. Starlight. The blue cue stays in the region for some more Accuracy, as Starlight looks to conquer another rookie. Pacific's Starlight proved a demanding foe for Victoria's Yekaterina, and she couldn't handle the task, falling 1-5 as Starlight proved ruthless to take a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Yekaterina did better in game 2, keeping pace with the Volcanoes' Starlight and then beating her 1-2 when she missed a bank attempt on the 7, tying the series at 1. Starlight's eye injury started bothering her in game 2 as well, impairing her shooting a bit. Starlight fired back in game 3, still dealing with obstructed vision, and won 1-4 as Yekaterina proved a bit shaky in a chance to beat a superstar. Ranked #65 for Accuracy, Starlight hopes to be healthy for a second round series against Maplewood Lumberjacks captain Fluffina at UPS Hall.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Puff I v. Bells. The red cue gets this 12-ball series here. Oceanside's Bells had a more direct approach in game 1, whereas Modernistic's Puff I tried to endlessly tweak the set-up shots, which led to failure as Bells got behind her defense and took the game on the next turn, good for a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Bells got a little cocky in game 2, giving up two wild card balls, and after the second, the Union's Puff I made good potting her last two shots to tie the series at 1 with the easy win. Puff I got a little too methodical again in her shooting, allowing Bells to come from behind after Puff I missed contact, potting the 5 to the bottom side for the win from a crazy angle. Ranked #102 for 12-ball, Bells will head to Atlantic's McDonald's Hall in the second round to face the Pirates' Americus.
Intel Center, Diamond: Pedey v. Ms. Kitty. The blue cue returns for some Accuracy, its busiest bracket right now. Diamond's Pedey got off to an iffy start, but it wasn't as bad as the one from Pacific's Ms. Kitty, who added a late miss as well and lost the game 2-3 as Pedey takes a 1-0 series lead with the win. The Gems' Pedey didn't need much more in game 2, but he played better, and the Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty self-destructed at the end, eventually falling 1-4 as Pedey secured the series at 2-0. Pedey couldn't keep up his impressive pace in game 3, allowing Ms. Kitty to gain and hold a lead as she won 2-3. Pedey took the series 2-1, and his #10 ranked Accuracy campaign will bring in Cleo of the Everton Eagles in the second round.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Mr. Snowman v. Yekaterina Vasilyeva. The silver cue gets a Rotation series to lead off the night series. Victoria's Yekaterina held a lead throughout game 1, and while Viewpoint Sound's Mr. Snowman kept it close, he ultimately lost 8-4 as Yekaterina took a 1-0 series lead with her stronger effort. The Meteors' Mr. Snowman answered with an 8-5 win to tie the series at 1, building up a big lead in game 2 before weathering a comeback attempt from the Spurs' Yekaterina, and then icing the game himself. Yekaterina played pretty even in game 3, and then blew the lid off, ending an 8-2 drubbing with a three-ball run-out to take the series at 2-1. Ranked #96 for Rotation, Yekaterina will play at Capital City SuperCenter against the Sharpshooters' Dani in the second round.
Apple Center, Todavía: Leonardo v. Panda. A late series of 10-ball with the blue cue gets the Spanish Derby treatment. Southern's Panda looked locked in for game 1, needing just two turns to win, with a four-ball run on his first and a six-ball run-out with excellent positioning to take a 1-0 series lead over a punchless Leonardo of Todavía. The Stills' Leonardo woke up a bit in game 2, cashing in when the Monarchs' Panda blindly swung at the 6, which put it in a decent position for Leonardo to carom the cue off of it and into the 10, which fell in the bottom right for the win, tying the series at 1. Panda ended up with the 2-1 series win, taking game 3 with a strong finish after a spate of scratches. Ranked #90 in 10-ball, Panda will visit Whitewater's Samsung Arena to play the Shores' Twinkie III in the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Americus v. Stripes. The red cue finishes up its 15-ball slate for the first round in the Eastern Hills. Game 1 had a quick finish after a long start, with Atlantic's Americus putting up a four-ball run, only to be shut down by a sharp bank of the 15 to the bottom side from Terrace City's Stripes for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Americus thought she was in trouble with a late scratch, but the Knights' Stripes left the 15 short at the top side, and Americus tapped it in to tie the series at 1 in her win. Americus burst out to get the win in game 3, working with excellent positioning to finally get a look at the 15 in a 13-15 combination at the top side after many pass-by shots. The win put Americus in a 2-1 series lead, and the #6 ranked 15-ball player advances to host the Diamond Gems' Cassandra at this venue in the second round.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Wild Thing v. Shaggy. The night will end with 9-ball and the silver cue. Whitewater's Wild Thing managed to corral the 9 in game 1, ending a back-and-forth affair in which neither he nor Southridge's Shaggy had much luck with stringing shots together. Wild Thing leads 1-0 in the series. Game 2 started sloppy, but a short leave on the 9 at the top side later resulted in the Shores' Wild Thing using ball-in-hand from illegal contact by the Defenders' Shaggy to pot a 2-9 combination to clinch the series at 2-0. Shaggy salvaged a quick game 3, winning with the last two balls to give Wild Thing a 2-1 series win. Ranked #10 for 9-ball, Wild Thing hosts Wings of the Pearl Surfers in the second round at this venue.
That's all for tonight. Tomorrow has cricket included, so the schedule may be a bit more difficult in the long run.
No comments:
Post a Comment