We may slow the pace down a bit. I didn't get much sleep, and I have soccer to pay attention to this evening, which could cramp the time dedicated to playing pool. Still, we'll do as much as we can. We begin with...
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Amber v. Dustin. The silver cue starts the day off with some Rotation. Central's Dustin had the better of possession in game 1, winning on a four-ball run-out to take a sloppy 8-3 win over Atlantic's Amber, who could barely string two shots together as she fell behind 1-0 in the series. The Pirates' Amber countered with a big four-ball run at the start of game 2, which paced her attack and allowed her to stay ahead and defeat the Warriors' Dustin by an 8-4 score to tie the series at 1. Dustin answered straight back with a dominant win in game 3, taking the game by the score 8-1, and Dustin's confidence leads him to a 2-1 series lead over Amber. Game 4 started off much closer between the players, but turned into an easy finish for Dustin, who had a four-ball run to stake out a lead, including a two-rail bank-combination 8-10 to the top side. Dustin later made a final ball for the 8-3 win to pull ahead 3-1 in the series. Dustin capped the series off with a game 5 win, having no challenge from Amber this time either as he cruised to an 8-3 win on a three-ball run-out, sealing the series at 4-1. Amber didn't mess around in game 6, wasting no time in getting an 8-0 shutout for the win, helped greatly by her five-ball run on her second turn after Dustin flubbed his attempt at the 2. This made it 4-2 in the series. Dustin pulled away after a tight start to game 7, winning 8-3 once more to make it a 5-2 series as Amber just couldn't find her attack. Dustin is ranked #45 in Rotation, and he'll go to Todavía's Apple Center to face the Stills' Sierra in the bracket final. Amber is out of the tournament and has likely made her last appearance in the league, while Dustin has his first kill on the 71st eliminated player.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Diddley v. Shiny. Now the red cue takes its turn in Rotation. Maplewood's Diddley had an early and short-lived lead in game 1, falling behind over the middle to Northeastern rival Shiny of Web City, who then established herself and held on to win 8-6, taking a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, things went back and forth, with a four-ball run by the Spiders' Shiny stealing her a late lead, only to watch it evaporate with a pair of two-ball runs from the Lumberjacks' Diddley, who won 8-6 and tied the series at 1. Diddley struggled to finish up after gaining a big lead in game 3, but he eventually took the 12 after Shiny left it lined up, capping an 8-5 win to take a 2-1 series lead. Diddley did not dominate in game 4, and his miss on the 8 short at the top right would come back to haunt him, with Shiny using it as the catalyst to a five-ball run-out to come from behind and win 8-7, tying the series again at 2 with the improbable comeback. Diddley made sure to keep Shiny down after her scratch and a missed contact play in game 5, and he did so with three highlight reel shots. The first was a double-kiss on the 4 to the top side. The second saw him drive the 8 into the 9 to pot it at the bottom left, and he followed that with the winner, again drilling the 8 at the proper angle to glance it into the 12, which fell in the top right for an 8-1 win. Diddley leads the series 3-2 after the display of excellence. Shiny couldn't fix her problems in game 6, and she lost 8-0, with the best shot she took being an illegal-double pot of the 9 and 10 from illegal contact. Diddley closed out with a three-ball run-out, with his shot on the 7, missing the bank at the bottom side but glancing off the 8 to position the 8 and score the 7 at the top side being the highlight of his win to make it a 4-2 series lead. Diddley had another easy victory in game 7, as Shiny apparently packed it in after four games, with Diddley shutting her out 8-0 to finish a 5-2 series win. Diddley advances his #18 ranked Rotation bid to the bracket final. Shiny is the 72nd player to be eliminated, with her Spiders career in significant doubt after being part of their cricket collapse. Diddley has his first kill of the tournament.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Sprinkles v. Spice. The blue cue is up for 8-ball. Victoria's Spice had a slightly better start to game 1, and she carried this over as Capital City's Sprinkles struggled to catch up, before Spice made her last two shots to win the game and take a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Spice had a three-ball run-out to bookend a strong start to game 2, again shutting down the Sharpshooters' Sprinkles, who had her shots left in a cluster before Spice won. The win makes it a 2-0 series lead for Spice, who is in firm control now. Sprinkles found the highlight reel with a 1-9-14-3 combination to the top right in game 3. Sprinkles had her best start to the game this time, but she faded late, missing the 8 after trying to get a bit too fancy, allowing Spice to make her last ball and the 8 to finish the win and earn a 3-0 series lead. Sprinkles staved off elimination in game 4, working a four-ball run-out after starting hot and setting herself up to beat Spice, which made it 3-1 in the series, as Spice just couldn't get a long run on the board. Sprinkles tried to hold on in game 5, starting well and nearly getting her last ball in, but Spice was untouchable on her three-ball run-out, clinching the series at 4-1 with the big win. Spice didn't have a good break in game 6, but she made the most of it, ending the game with a four-ball run-out as Sprinkles once again proved inefficient in shooting. Spice's play was strong with positioning, and she used illegal contact by Sprinkles to ignite her finale, making it 5-1 in the series with another win. Spice opened game 7 with a six-ball run from the break, and while Sprinkles got most of it back on a five-ball run, that was as far as the host could get. Spice won the game and took the series 6-1, and the #86 ranked 8-ball player will be on the road for the bracket final.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Princess v. Mams. The silver cue has its last series of the night in 15-ball. Tysini's Princess didn't have the best of starts in game 1, but she bounced back quickly enough, eventually winning on a four-ball run-out that countered a three-ball run from Viewpoint Sound's Mams to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Mams dominated game 2, making a six-ball run early on and then weathering a bit of play from the Hummingbirds' Princess, including her missed carom attempt. Mams then double-potted the 8 to the top side on a bank with the cue deflecting the 15 into the bottom right, tying the series at 1 with the highlight reel shot. Mams earned her win in game 3 as well, running six balls early on and then making six of the last eight on the table, owning an 80% possession mark as she marched to a 2-1 series lead over Princess, who hasn't totally seemed herself in this series. A fairly even game 4 followed this, with neither playing struggling nor breaking out for long runs of dominance. Princess played slightly better defense numerous times, and this might have been what separated her to the top, where she made the last two balls to snag the win and tie the series at 2. Princess thought her defense would be enough to carry her in game 5, but she missed the 15 at the bottom right after Mams had left it short but at a bad angle, and Mams tapped it in the second time to get the win, regaining the series lead at 3-2 after having to really fight for the game. Game 6 was a sloppy game on both sides, with plenty of missed shots to go around. It was quite fitting that Mams missed the 11-15 combination at the end, allowing Princess to deflect the cue off the 11 with the proper spin to take the 15 to the bottom right for the win, tying the series at 3. Princess stubbed her foot on the perimeter of the playing area right before stepping in for a shot on the 15, and she couldn't settle herself in time, scratching as she made the ball to give the game and series away to Mams. The 4-3 series wins sends Mams through to the bracket final, where her #52 ranked 15-ball bid will travel to Nissan Hall in Infinity to face the Torpedoes' Shelley. Princess is the 73rd player eliminated from the tournament, and the victim of Mams' second kill.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Lorde. The blue cue is on now for the first of three straight series, this one in 10-ball. Boston's Puff II looked a bit erratic at the start of game 1, but she played smart. Commerce's Lorde scratched to end a three-ball run, and Puff II finished with a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 went fairly back-and-forth, putting the focus on the finish. The Tradewinds' Lorde played from ball-in-hand after a scratch, and made the 8 and 9 with decent position on the 10, but she missed, and the Swifts' Puff II tapped it in to win and make it 2-0 in the series. Lorde made quick work of game 3, waiting for Puff II to miss contact once, and then bashing the 10 in off a glancing hit from the cue on the 2 before the 10 went to the top right, cutting the series to 2-1. Lorde had a four-ball run end in disaster in game 4, as she illegally potted the 7 and 9, allowing Puff II to claim possession, and she tapped in the 8 and 10 to the bottom left and bottom right to get the win, making it 3-1 in the series. Puff II kind of butchered the finish to game 5, missing on the 10 when she had a chance, and Lorde came from the periphery to save her series for the first time, getting the win to make it 3-2 for Puff II. Lorde was cruising along in game 6, with a well set series of shots lined up, but she scratched on the 7, and Puff II came in for a three-ball run-out to take the win, clinching the series at 4-2 as well with the big win from ball-in-hand. Game 7 was an unremarkable battle between the players, with Lorde losing heart for the game and not trying very hard, allowing Puff II to have her way and come up with a win to take the series 5-2. Ranked #16 in 10-ball, Puff II is off to Lighton's Pepsi Arena for the bracket final against the Prestige's Lydia.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Twinkie II v. Kirstin. The blue cue stays up again for some 7-ball. Harrison's Twinkie II capitalized on a scratch from distance by Southern's Kirstin as she was not accurate on her cut attempt for the 7. This gave Twinkie II an easy shot for the win and the 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Kirstin had game 2 on the tip of her cue, but she poked the 7 a bit wide and short of the bottom right, and this allowed the Specters' Twinkie II another easy tap-in to end the game and win for a 2-0 series lead. Twinkie II dominated game 3, running the table from break to the 7 she put in the top right, never letting Kirstin get to the board as the visitor fell behind 3-0 in the series with Twinkie II's dominant display. Kirstin did what she had to in game 4 to keep hope alive for this campaign, playing a bit of defense and then making the last two shots against a bewildered Twinkie II, grabbing the win to make it 3-1 in the series. Kirstin knew things were dire in game 5 when she saw the 6 rattle out of the top right, and Twinkie II made it interesting with an odd position but a workable one nonetheless to make the 7, potting it for the win and a 4-1 series lead to secure her advancement. Twinkie II started game 6 in fine form, making a three-ball run, and she'd also make the last three balls over two turns as Kirstin floundered a couple of times without much success in another loss that made it a 5-1 series lead for Twinkie II. Kirstin ended up mopping up a missed shot on the 7 by Twinkie II to finish a game 7 that the host dominated. Twinkie II still took the series 5-2, and the #9 ranked 7-ball player will host Smokey of the Diamond Gems in the bracket final from this venue. Kirstin is the 74th player to be eliminated, and Twinkie II takes a share of first place in the kills category with her third.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: J. Garcia v. Ruby. The blue cue is still up for a series of 15-ball. Archtown's Ruby ended up getting the late advantage in game 1, beating Southridge's Garcia by making the last two shots after Garcia had controlled the pace of the game early on, with the win giving Ruby a 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Garcia had a bit of possession again in game 2, and had ball-in-hand from the Arrows' Ruby making illegal contact, but her 8-15 combination attempt was weak. Ruby had the same combination lined up and made it to the top right, winning for a 2-0 series lead. The fortunes were reversed in game 3, with Ruby trying to extend a run with a 7-15 combination that was left short at the bottom right. Garcia capitalized, making a 7-8-15 combination that saw the 8 also followed the 15 into the pocket for a solid win, making it 2-1 in the series that still favors Ruby. Ruby thought she had game 4 under control, driving possession early on and keeping Garcia away from the table late with a run. Ruby missed on the 15, and Garcia banked it to the top left off the right rail, snatching the win away to tie the series at 2 with the highlight reel play. Ruby didn't have the best of games in game 5, but she came up clutch after Garcia couldn't establish herself late in game, with Ruby making a three-ball run-out under some pressure to get the win and take a 3-2 series lead. Garcia was doing fine until she got to the 7 in game 6, which she missed wide at the bottom right. Ruby cleaned it up and got position to make the 9-15 combination to the top side for the win, clinching the series at 4-2. In game 7, Ruby flubbed a shot on the 2 and didn't even make contact, allowing Garcia to pot the 2-15 combination from ball-in-hand for the win at the top right. Ruby still took the series 4-3, and the #71 ranked 15-ball player will host Smudge of the Infinity Torpedoes in the bracket final at this venue. Garcia is the 75th player eliminated, likely making her final Defenders appearance as she is set to retire. The Defenders are also the third team eliminated completely.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Precious v. Bells. The red cue closes out this day in the morning of the next day with 12-ball. Oceanside's Bells set the tone for the series in game 1, running her entire suit in one swift turn after Pronger's Precious got nothing from the break, with the run making it 1-0 for Bells in the series. The Waves' Bells didn't dominate in the same way during game 2, but the Tridents' Precious was not shooting well, making only one shot and trying to play set-up and defense as Bells meandered the 3 to the top side, eventually kicking it in to win and take a 2-0 series lead. Precious fired back with a brilliant game 3, capitalizing on Bells surrendering a wild card ball to defend her final pockets before unleashing with smart cuts and set-up shots to maneuver her way to victory, cutting the series to 2-1. Precious had a crazy break in game 4, making two for herself, giving up a wild card ball, and scratching to undo some of her work. She took the suit where she potted two, and Bells soon gave the wild card ball back. After some tangoing, Precious unleashed a three-ball run-out, highlight by her bank of the 4 to the bottom left with perfect pace and angle after Bells loosened the defense to get her game going. The win by Precious tied the series at 2. Bells had a pretty strong pace in game 5, which took on a bit of a race structure as the players worked from right to left. Precious was a step behind, getting herself set up just before Bells made her final two shots to finish off the win and regain a series lead at 3-2. Game 6 started with the players taking a defensive stance after an iffy break by Bells. After things cleared up, Precious managed a four-ball run and couldn't quite get position on her last ball. Bells obliged with an illegally potted ball to give Precious ball-in-hand, and she ended the game easily for a win and a tied series, at 3. Game 7 was a clinic if you like defensive pool, as Precious bunkered as many as five balls at the top side before dispersing them to keep Bells at bay. Bells proved reluctant to attack directly, but it might have been a better plan than doing nothing, as Precious had time to set herself up and eventually do a three-ball run-out, stealing the game and the series 4-3. Ranked #83 in 12-ball, Precious heads to the bracket final. Bells is the 76th player to be eliminated so far, and Precious stayed alive by taking her second kill of the year.
The post was delayed due to a variety of factors. We anticipate a full or more than full day on Thursday as we get the round set up to end quickly.
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