We're sticking with seven-game series for this round, which is expected to last about three days. All players winning a series in this round advance to the medal round, a two-part set based not on seeding but on the record accumulated over their advancement through their specific bracket. The medal round is a split-cue system to be conducted on June 8th and 9th, with any extra being done on the 10th. With that notice out of the way, we begin with...
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Tigerette v. Charli XCX. The first series is Accuracy with the blue cue. Tysini's Charli came out sharp in game 1, getting Commerce's Tigerette to miss three straight at one point before shutting it down on a 2-5 win to give herself a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Hummingbirds' Charli failed to shut the door in regulation, allowing the Tradewinds' Tigerette to force overtime. Charli's break worked well, and she eventually won when Tigerette missed over halfway through the rack, with a 2-3 score making it 2-0 for Charli. Tigerette hit the highlight reel in game 3 with the 15-2-4 combination to the bottom right. It wouldn't hold up despite pushing Charli to a miss with the leave. Tigerette faltered twice late and lost 2-3, giving a 3-0 series lead to Charli. Tigerette threw herself a lifeline in game 4, dominating the game fully until her final shot against Charli, who seems to have slowed down a bit, losing a bit of precision on her shots as she fell 1-3 to slip to a 3-1 lead in the series. Charli bounced back with a very high-paced opening to game 5, battling closely with Tigerette before the host fell off pace with three big misses. She tried to play defense on Charli, but it didn't work, and Charli won 1-3 to secure the series at 4-1. Tigerette replied with a fairly standard effort in game 6, picking up a 2-3 win in a back-and-forth battle with Charli, who saw her series lead cut down to 4-2. Charli finished the series with a win in overtime of game 7, slipping into a late tie with Tigerette but winning it early in the extra rack. Ranked #57 in Accuracy, Charli is 19-8 on the bracket, three games over the minimum, and she'll participate in the finals. Tigerette is the first of many to be eliminated this round, and the 90th overall, falling as Charli's first kill.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Shelley v. Mams. The silver cue is up now, playing 15-ball. Game 1 started out solidly for both players, with a few misses surrounding the many makes. The end of the game saw Infinity's Shelley miss a chance to go on a long run, and Viewpoint Sound's Mams iced it with a four-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Shelley ended up with the win after a grueling and unimpressive game 2, making the 15 on a bank to the bottom left after the Meteors' Mams missed it near the top left. This win by Shelley tied the series at 1. Shelley had a five-ball run to take control of game 3 near the end, but she couldn't quite hold on, as things got a bit choppy and Mams ended up making the 15 when Shelley left it short at the top left, giving Mams the 2-1 series lead. Mams used the 11 as a weapon late in game 4, putting immense pressure on Shelley as she made the 11-13 combination to the bottom right and then turned out for an 11-15 combination at the bottom left with the perfect pace for the win, giving Mams a big 3-1 series lead. Shelley thought she had the perfect shot to win game 5 and stay alive in the series, but her draw shot off the 4 that took the 15 in the top side ended up running long into the top right for a scratch, gifting Mams the clinching win at 4-1. Game 6 didn't always go well, with Mams making a handful of mistakes and Shelley not playing with much hope at all, being out of the running. Mams did finish with a moment of brilliance, kicking the cue to glance off the 12 and take the 15 in the bottom side for the win to make it a 5-1 series lead. Shelley was once again in the driver's seat in game 7, having had a four-ball run and looking threatening at the end, but her shot on the 15 resulted in a scratch due to the angle, and Mams took the win for a 6-1 series win. Mams is ranked #52 in 15-ball, and finished the bracket at 18-9 as she heads into the finals. Shelley is the 91st player eliminated, and the third knocked out by Mams.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Snowball v. Spirit. The silver cue stays in action for 12-ball. Lighton's Spirit gave away a wild card ball at one point in game 1, and had to do excessive work to set up her last shot, but she kept Swordpoint's Snowball from getting any good shots and held on to win for a 1-0 series lead favoring Spirit. The Blades' Snowball fired back with a well-played game 2, holding the Prestige's Spirit to bad shots early on. Spirit got herself up at three pockets and made those in a run to pull even, only to see Snowball make the winning shot to tie the series at 1 from Spirit's leave. Spirit dominated in game 3, as Snowball got virtually nothing from the break. Spirit had a three-ball run stalled by a scratch, but then won three turns later with a three-ball run-out just as Snowball got into gear, giving Spirit the 2-1 series lead. Game 4 looked a lot like game 1 in terms of the circumstances, as Spirit again gave up a wild card ball but got the win as Snowball couldn't unjam her 7 from the bottom right, illegally potting it to give Spirit ball-in-hand on the 13, which she made to the top side to win. Spirit leads the series 3-1 now. Snowball did everything but win in game 5, playing a five-ball run early in the game and then battling furiously in a defensive deadlock at the end, with Spirit finally getting around Snowball and kicking her last ball into the top left to take the win and clinch the series at 4-1. Snowball had no heart to play on in game 6, aimlessly shooting in a frustrating and unsightly game that Spirit had to really struggle to get the win in for her 5-1 series lead. Snowball remained lethargic in game 7, making no moves to pressure Spirit. The visitor managed to navigate an occasionally treacherous table with relative ease, finally setting herself for a two-turn finish, and she got the win to seal the series at 6-1. Spirit is ranked #76 in 12-ball, and her bid goes to the finals with a record of 19-8. Snowball is the 92nd player to be knocked out, falling as Spirit's second kill of the year. The Blades are the sixth team to be eliminated fully.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Cowzart. The red cue gets its turn in 15-ball for this series. Tysini's Leandra lost her cool and set off Pearl's Cowzart in game 1, promising for a testy series ahead. Leandra was also first to gain control, taking a big share of the late possession with a four-ball run and the finishing shot on the 15 for a 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Leandra backed into a win in another bad game, taking a 2-0 series lead as the Surfers' Cowzart scratched on the 15 as he made it, a turn after spiking the cue ball after a previous scratch. Cowzart may be facing supplemental discipline, and Leandra should have reason to worry about that as well. Cowzart picked up a sloppy win of his own, taking game 3 with a good shot on the 15 to the bottom left, one of few turns that didn't end in a scratch during the game. This made it 2-1 in the series, and play was halted to let the players calm down before resuming their series. Leandra got game 4 in the first game back from the cooling-off period, capitalizing on yet another scratch by Cowzart late in the game to pot the 15 from ball-in-hand, making it a 3-1 series lead for herself. Cowzart had game 5 in his hands, as Leandra's three-ball run ended in a slightly missed shot on the 15 that left it near the top side. Cowzart, however, whiffed on the ball, and Leandra won from ball-in-hand to secure the series at 4-1. Pearl is relieving Cowzart of his duties for the rest of the series, as his career with the team is almost assuredly over. He will be credited with the stats of Isabella and Bianca for the next two games, rookies-to-be making emergency appearance for the Surfers. As expected, Leandra had little trouble beating Isabella in game 6, exchanging shots evenly at some points but tipping the scales in Leandra's favor more often than not as she took a win to make it a 5-1 series lead. Bianca looked a bit shaken by Leandra's shocking six-ball run in game 7, but Bianca got over it at the end, turning a three-ball run-out to steal a win from Leandra and make it a 5-2 series final. Leandra is ranked #81 and made it through this 15-ball bracket with an 18-9 record. Cowzart is the 93rd player to be eliminated, and it's a fiery ending to his final league appearance, while Leandra has her first kill.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Leonette v. Starlight. These two Volcanoes teammates battle with the red cue in 8-ball, assuring some sort of hardware for the troubled franchise. Starlight picked up the game 1 win, bursting out with a three-ball run and then holding off one of those from Leonette at the end to make the 8 to the top left, taking a 1-0 series lead for the captain. Leonette answered pretty confidently in game 2, striking first and using a four-ball run on her second turn to set herself apart. Starlight tried to get some back, but missed the 13, and Leonette finished the game to tie the series at 1. Leonette proved herself quite a bit in game 3, boldly shooting into a cluster to disrupt Starlight's aligned shots, and then working out of the play with a bank on the 1 to the bottom left and a kick on the 8 to the bottom right to get another win for a 2-1 series lead. Leonette looked to be in good form for game 4, but Starlight rallied all the way back with a six-ball run. She missed contact on the 8, but Leonette couldn't pot her last ball and left Starlight lined up to strike for the win, retying the series at 2 with her best performance yet. Game 5 lacked the same biting precision that game 4 had, with both players missing easy shots to advance themselves. Leonette was a bit better with limiting these mistakes, and was able to keep Starlight to poor shots late while she wrapped up another win to regain the series lead at 3-2. Starlight ended up reverting into a defensive stance late in game 6, trying to hold off a fast-charging Leonette, and while it stalled her, Leonette finished on a three-ball run-out with a hint of frustration on the first shot to get the win and seal the series at 4-2. Starlight had a pretty sick 13-11 bank combination to the bottom side, with the 13 bouncing off the right rail before glancing the 11 in during game 7. While it looked nice, it ultimately was another footnote in Leonette's victory, which ended in a well-shot four-ball run-out to make it a 5-2 final score for the series. Leonette is ranked #56 for 8-ball, and has gone 17-10 through the bracket on her way to the finals. Starlight is the 94th player to be eliminated, and Leonette recorded her third kill of the season in a bout of friendly fire.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Wild Thing v. Ms. Puppy. The silver cue's last series of the day is in 9-ball. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy had a good thing going in game 1, working a four-ball run that ended as she double-potted the 6 and 7 to the right corners but also scratched. Whitewater's Wild Thing made the final two shots to win and earn a 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Wild Thing suffered a similar fate in game 2, as he put up a four-ball run only to see it disappear with a scratch, and the Union's Ms. Puppy was the one making the last two balls for the win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 started a bit slow, but Wild Thing's second turn saw him kick and double-pot the 1-5 combination to the top left, with the 1 falling in the bottom side. The rest of the game was fairly even and choppy, but Wild Thing made a late move, getting lined up off the 8 to take the 9, only to miss it at the bottom side. Ms. Puppy cleaned it up, winning for a 2-1 series lead. Wild Thing again made a critical mistake late in game 4 to give the game away, this time missing the 6 that allowed Ms. Puppy to use a perfect shot to get lined up for the 9 at the bottom right, which she buried to move ahead 3-1 in the series. Wild Thing did really well in game 5, making two three-ball runs before icing it on a 7-9 combination to the bottom right after tricking Ms. Puppy into a missed combination. This cut the series to 3-2, still favoring Ms. Puppy. Wild Thing put everything he had into trying to win game 6, making a five-ball run at one point, but Ms. Puppy just wouldn't let it be, making the last two shots after the run ended, and Ms. Puppy secured the series at 4-2. Wild Thing swiped back once more, dominating game 7 to the tune of a seven-ball run-out full of precision shooting to grab the win and finalize the series at 4-3. Ms. Puppy is ranked #42 for 9-ball, and carries a bare minimum 16-11 record into the finals. Wild Thing is the 95th player to be knocked out, and this makes it the first kill for Ms. Puppy.
Intel Center, Diamond: Citrus v. Easter. The blue cue gets the last two looks of the day, this one in Rotation. Diamond's Citrus won game 1 with a rare finish after starting on a five-ball run. As Todavía's Easter charged late in the game, she missed the 11, and Citrus used an 11-13 combination that turned into a double-pot as the 11 followed to win 9-3 for a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Easter absolutely pummeled a three-ball run-out, with one of the most brilliant shots in the tournament in the middle of it. Easter jumped the 10 and 15 to bounce off the rail and shove the 9 to the top right, with the lay off earning position on the 10 to get the 8-3 win, tying the series at 1. Easter came out blazing in game 3, making the 4 with a casual glance off the 1, and then two shots later double-potting the 6 to the bottom side as the cue deflected off the 2, which combined with the 14 at the bottom right in a stunning shot. Two turns later, Easter finished the 8-1 victory with a second option shot on the 5 at the bottom side and a bank to get the 7 in the top right from a bad angle before finishing the 8 in the top side to take a 2-1 series lead in expert form. Easter kept going with a bold start to game 4, having to hold off Citrus early on. Citrus bounced back with a four-ball run to take the lead late, but the Gems star would be denied victory as Easter made the last two shots for an 8-7 win after Citrus left the 14 standing. Easter leads the series 3-1 after another excellent effort. Citrus had a dominant start in game 5, pulling far enough ahead to put some concern in Easter. Citrus soon stalled out, unable to score again, and that made her easy pickings once Easter got aligned to perform a four-ball run-out for an 8-5 win, securing the series at 4-1. Citrus finally got a game back, winning game 6 pretty firmly with the last two shots after coming from behind when Easter couldn't get past 5. Citrus won the game 8-5 to cut the series to 4-2. Easter didn't put a whole lot of effort into game 7 either, and Citrus won handily by an 8-1 score in a dominant outing. Easter took the series 4-3, and advances her #28 ranked Rotation bid to the finals, carrying a 17-10 record through her bracket.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Midnight. The final series of the night is 9-ball with the blue cue. It didn't seem like it in the middle of the game, but four-ball runs bookending that portion by Boston's Puff II earned her a significant win over Westside's Midnight for a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Midnight answered strongly in the face of the leading MVP candidate, scoring a three-ball run and the final two balls of game 2 to fell the Swifts' Puff II and tie the series at 1. Puff II didn't fully recover in game 3, playing a bit shaky and losing when she scratched while attempting the 8. Midnight quickly made the 8 and buried the 9 from a good position to take the series lead at 2-1. Midnight controlled the pace of play in game 4, and it looked like that was going to be meaningless, but Puff II made a mess of her last two turns, missing the 9 both times and leaving it lined up for Midnight to pot it for the win and a 3-1 series lead. Midnight scratched early in game 5, and Puff II saw a chance to strike, getting position on the 3-9 combination after making the 2, and she drilled the shot to the bottom right. Unfortunately, the cue rolled all the way back to the bottom left, scratching to gift Midnight the clincher as she went up 4-1 in the series. Midnight deserved a better fate in game 6, running six balls from the break in a dominant stretch of smart play. However, a scratch derailed her game, and Puff II was able to close out with the last two balls to get the win, making it 4-2 in the series. Puff II challenged pretty closely again in game 7, but ultimately came up empty this time, with Midnight icing off the win after Puff II ended a five-ball run. Midnight took the series 5-2, and the #18 ranked 9-ball player heads to the finals with a 17-10 record in the event.
That's all for tonight. It was an interesting day. The discipline assessed to Cowzart will be in the form of a team penalty for the Surfers, who will see their expected compensatory pick go from the first round to the second round for his outburst. The Hummingbirds will see no penalty, as Leandra got very close to crossing the line but stayed on the side of the rules. Tomorrow should be a longer day, and cricket will return with the finale of the Quarterfinals.
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