We're back, likely looking at another 60-70 games today as we progress through the round. We begin with...
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Ruby v. Bryant. The first series of the day sees us playing 15-ball with the blue cue. Archtown's Ruby wasted no time at all in game 1, striking a well-placed 1-15 combination to the bottom right, stunning Maplewood's Bryant as she went up 1-0 in the series. The Arrows' Ruby applied pressure late in game 2 after a mixed start, but left the 15 short at the bottom right. The Lumberjacks' Bryant took a bad shot and missed, allowing Ruby a tap-in to win and earn a 2-0 series lead after the rookie-level mistake. Ruby stayed strong in game 3, continuing to pressure Bryant late in game 3. Ruby worked a four-ball run with some impressive makes, and then made the last two when Bryant missed on the 14 from an unfavorable position, giving Ruby the series at 3-0. Ruby stayed dominant in game 4, weathering a trying start against Bryant before unleashing a five-ball run and defense to stymie him. Ruby made the last two balls and went up 4-0 in the series. Bryant offered a challenge in game 5, and avoided the sweep when Ruby couldn't find a heavily defended 13 at the top left, allowing Bryant to pick the last two shots. Ruby still took the series 4-1, and advances her #71 ranked 15-ball bid to the third round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center: Puff II v. Puff I. This is a lineage battle, and features a bit of Center Division animosity as well, with the game being 8-ball and the cue being blue. Boston's Puff II got the win in game 1, working a four-ball run in response to a five-ball run from Modernistic's Puff I, and then Puff II finished it up for a 1-0 series lead. Puff II overcame a scratch on the break for the Swifts, and rallied to the finish on a four-ball run-out after the Union's Puff I accidentally potted Puff II's 7 in the top right. Puff II charged her way to the win, and a 2-0 lead in the series. Puff I fell behind against a relentless attack from Puff II in game 3, but a miss on a kick toward the bottom right on the 8 for Puff II let Puff I execute a five-ball run-out for the win, making it a 2-1 series. Puff II took a bit of a defensive shape in game 4, and when she released it, she came up short toward the 8, allowing Puff I to polish off a good game with the win, tying the series at 2. Puff I weathered a difficult start to game 5, eventually pulling away with the win when Puff II couldn't get anything going. Ranked #81, Puff I heads to the third round with a 3-2 series win.
HP Field Events Center, Eastside: Chelsea v. Jasmine. The blue cue completes a three-pack with this Rotation series. Freedom's Jasmine started strong in game 1, building her lead and holding off a single minor challenge from Eastside's Chelsea for an 8-3 win and 1-0 series lead in dominant form. Game 2 didn't see the Cascades' Jasmine get the same immediate results, but the Sharks' Chelsea was unable to reverse her misfortunes, and Jasmine had no trouble finishing off another 8-3 win in the end, going up 2-0 in the series. In game 3, Jasmine was on the brink of victory, but Chelsea pulled herself back in with a triple-pot that sent the 8 to the bottom left, the 11 to the top right, and 14 to the bottom right in a stunning highlight-reel shot. Chelsea ultimately had a five-ball run, but missed the 13 short and lost 8-6 when Jasmine tapped it in to seal the series at 3-0. Chelsea had an impressive four-ball run in game 4, highlighted by a kick through traffic to take the 7 at the top right, and then a kick-combination 9-14 to the bottom right two shots later. Jasmine had a three-ball run to get back in the game, but missed a cut on the 13, and Chelsea made it for an 8-6 win to make it 3-1 in the series. Chelsea dominated in game 5 as well, especially on her three-ball run-out that saw her pot the 15 and 14 to the right corners by caroming off the 5 before taking the 5 outright to claim an 8-1 win. Jasmine still took the series 3-2, and she will play on the road in the third round with her #86 ranked Rotation bid.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Americus. The red cue steps into action for 9-ball in this series. Pearl's Watermelon dominated possession in game 1, helped significantly by a monster six-ball run-out featuring brilliant positioning to take a 1-0 series lead over Atlantic's Americus. The Surfers' Watermelon won game 2 on the break, burying the 7 and 9 in the bottom right with a favorable deflection by the 5 for the latter, making it a 2-0 lead in the series. The Pirates' Americus finally got one back, as Watermelon lacked the dangerous shooting in game 3, allowing Americus to string together a three-ball run-out to cut the series to 2-1. Game 4 was the most balanced game of the series so far, as the players exchanged makes and misses pretty evenly. Americus was toppled when she missed the 5 on a kick to the top right, allowing Watermelon to cut it in and then bury the 9 in the same spot to clinch the series at 3-1. Watermelon made quick work of game 5, winning on a 1-9 combination on her second shot to take the series 4-1. Ranked #61 for 9-ball, Watermelon will travel to Tysini's Cisco Arena to face the Hummingbirds' Leandra in the third round.
HP Field Events Center, Eastside: Graham v. Sparkles. The silver cue gets into action with this 8-ball series. Todavía's Sparkles took the advantage in game 1, outplaying Eastside's Graham just enough to snag the win and get a 1-0 series lead after an unremarkable game. The Stills' Sparkles seemed to start well, but neither player could sustain any momentum until the Sharks' Graham made a three-ball run-out at the end, winning game 2 to tie the series at 1. In game 3, both players made misses on easy attempts at the 8, allowing Sparkles to cash in her second chance first to grab the win and take a 2-1 series lead after a reasonably good game. Graham showed up big in game 4, imposing his presence at the start and the finish of the game, including a four-ball run-out to really make his impact and retie the series at 2 as Sparkles could only watch. Had Sparkles not spent the first half of game 5 making a lot of Graham's balls for him, she could have had a shot to win. However, she did make at least three, helping pace Graham's attack and a patient finish on the 8 before Sparkles rallied back. Ranked #23 in 8-ball, Graham is through the third round, where he'll be in line to host another series. With the series loss, Sparkles is ousted from the tournament, the thirteenth player to fall. Graham has his first kill of the season.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Sugar v. Nightfur. The blue cue is back in action for 12-ball. Web City's Sugar got one on the break and had no trouble navigating the accidentally defensive nature of Nightfur's play for Royal. Sugar did give up a wild card ball, but made her last shot on her next turn and won the game 1-0. The Crowns' Nightfur answered despite falling behind early in game 2, allowing the Spiders' Sugar to make her easy shots before Nightfur applied defense and eventually released it on time to win the game, tying the series at 1. Nightfur overcame giving up a wild card ball from the game 3 break, using a defensive shot and a failed jump from Sugar to get ball-in-hand and win the game at the bottom side, taking a 2-1 series lead in the process. Nightfur gave up another wild card ball in game 4, and it didn't go so well for her this time, as Sugar made a four-ball run and got a favorable leave from Nightfur's last shot to win the game, retying the series at 2. Nightfur held on in a poorly played game 5, snagging the win when Sugar finally succumbed to bad position with an illegal contact foul. Nightfur made her last two shots, winning the game and taking the series 3-2. Nightfur is ranked #33 in 12-ball, and heads on to a third round series.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Stealth. The red cue is up for this series of 7-ball. Boston's Gradley did well in a trying game 1 to position himself on the 7, and he buried it after going back and forth with Swordpoint's Stealth for much of the game, giving Gradley the 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Stealth had a three-ball run going, but his shot on the 6 left him snookered. The Swifts' Gradley eventually earned ball-in-hand for the 7, tapping the straight-in shot to win and earn a 2-0 lead in the series. Stealth finally found his finishing touch in game 3, putting up a four-ball run-out that included getting good position on the 6 and then banking the 7 to the top side, making it a 2-1 series for Gradley at that point. Stealth was back to making mistakes in game 4, with a missed contact play leading to Gradley's winning shots that also sealed the series at 3-1. In game 5, Gradley scratched on the break and never gained any traction, allowing Stealth to dominate, ending on a three-ball run-out to finalize the series at 3-2 for Gradley. Ranked #32 in 7-ball, Gradley heads to the third round.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Puff III v. Paige. The afternoon portion ends with a series of 10-ball with the silver cue. Queens' Paige had a pretty strong performance in game 1, dominating possession and closing out a five-ball run-out to take a 1-0 series lead over a decent but overmatched Puff III of Everton. The Flames' Paige came up big with a stunning finish to game 2, getting a light carom with spin off the 3 to drill the 10 to the top right, giving her a 2-0 series lead over the Eagles' Puff III. In game 3, neither player had all that much sustained possession, making it a bit sloppy. It ended up going to Paige when Puff III had a late scratch to give Paige ball-in-hand for the 10. She made it, securing the series at 3-0. Paige didn't have an answer, and barely had the chance to offer one, as Puff III surged forward with a six-ball run in game 4, and then made the 10 on her second try after Paige's miss, making it a 3-1 series. Puff III brought game 5 to an early end, sinking the 10 to the bottom right by caroming the cue off the 2, which fell in the top right for the game-winning double-pot. Paige still took the series 3-2, and her #72 ranked 10-ball bid will travel again to Starbucks Arena in Archtown for a third round series against the Arrows' Dusky.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Puff I v. Bear. The night begins with a series of Accuracy with the red cue. Modernistic's Puff I would have been clear had she not scratched on the second to last ball in regulation, but this caused overtime, where she was beaten 1-2 by Whitewater's Bear halfway through the rack as the visitor goes up 1-0 in the series. Game 2 featured less impressive shooting, but also went to overtime after the Shores' Bear had a late miss. He did nothing with the overtime break, and the Union's Puff I converted the 13-2-11 to the top side, with the 13 falling in the top left as well, to tie the series at 1 with a 3-4 win. Puff I played a nearly flawless game but still felt the pressure from Bear, who was nearly as good until he scratched and missed a bank on the 10 at the end, losing 1-2 and falling behind 2-1 in the series. Game 4 didn't see anything good happen, as the players quickly racked up misses, and Puff I needed a dramatic kick on the 3 to the top left to win 4-5 on her second attempt at it. Puff I did clinch the series at 3-1. Puff I once again held on to the end for a game 5 win, getting Bear to have two straight misses to win 1-2 and finish the series up 4-1. Ranked #20 for Accuracy, Puff I will host her third round series in this event. With the loss, Bear is the fourteenth player eliminated from the tournament. Puff I has her first kill of the year.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Stinky. The red cue makes its last appearance of the day in 12-ball. Lighton's Acorn did enough in making defensive position to draw Freedom's Stinky into giving up a wild card ball and then Acorn gained possession to make his last two shots for a 1-0 lead in the series with the win. The Prestige's Acorn nearly had the game, but the Cascades' Stinky made sure to disrupt his set-up shots, and then answered with a make of his own to win the game and tie the series at 1. Stinky made two long banks, sending the 9 to the top left and the 13 to the bottom left as part of his five-ball opening run in game 3. Stinky later scratched, but ended up winning with the last two shots after Acorn cleared some traffic, with the winner being a bank of the 14 to the bottom right to give Stinky the 2-1 series lead. Acorn couldn't get himself set up at all in game 4, allowing Stinky to use ball-in-hand from an illegal contact foul to put up a well-played three-ball run-out with superb positioning, which gave Stinky the series at 3-1. Stinky continued to surge in game 5, rallying through a lazy Acorn to take the win and claim the series at 4-1. Ranked #105 in 12-ball, Stinky will visit a former teammate when he meets the Spurs' Kavan in Victoria's Sprint Hall in the third round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Twinkie II v. Shaggy. The silver cue steps up for Rotation in its night series. Southridge's Shaggy only had a short moment of worry when Harrison's Twinkie II made a four-ball run to pull ahead. Shaggy overcame it and finished with a bank of the 14 to the bottom left for the 8-6 win and 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Shaggy might have been even better in game 2, stifling the Specters' Twinkie II late as Shaggy pulled off a five-ball run-out to win 8-4 and take a commanding 2-0 series lead. In game 3, Shaggy didn't really dominate from the start, but her slow build allowed her to gain an 8-3 win over Twinkie II, who had no luck in making shots as Shaggy secured the series at 3-0. Shaggy couldn't break free from Twinkie II in game 4, and Twinkie II made a late rally to win 8-4, putting the series at 3-1 as she avoids the sweep with the strong win. Shaggy tried to keep pace in game 5, but Twinkie II pulled off a similar finish, including a 7-14-13 combination to the bottom left, which led to an 8-4 win. Shaggy still took the series 3-2, and she'll travel again in the third round, with her #32 ranked Rotation bid heading to Atlantic's McDonald's Hall to face the Pirates' Amber.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Alyssa v. Pounce. The night ends with a blue cue 12-ball series between Oceanside Waves teammates. Alyssa never was able to get set up in game 1, allowing Pounce to overcome a scratch and less-than-ideal positioning to get the win and take a 1-0 series lead. Alyssa answered with a game 2 victory, countering Pounce well in a messy start and defending at the end of the game to get the win, tying the series at 1 with a decent showing. Pounce gambled that Alyssa would miss the 7 on a cut to the top side, even as she outpaced him in a race-style game 3, but she didn't waver and potted it to win the game and take a 2-1 series lead. Game 4 went very sloppy on both sides, including a late scratch to ruin Alyssa's chances, followed by weak hits from Pounce before he eventually won the game and tied the series at 2. Alyssa had to play defensive as she worked to set herself up in game 5, but Pounce was too quick, kicking the 15 into the top side to win and take the series 3-2. Ranked #13 in 12-ball, Pounce will host a third round series at this venue.
That's it for today. Cricket is taking a bit of time to get going, but there should be some games posted tomorrow from 5/2.
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