We're back with more pool for today, beginning with a rematch from yesterday...
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca v. Twinkie III. The Defenders rookie advanced in their meeting yesterday, but this one is 10-ball with the red cue. Southridge's Bianca played the better game in game 1, and was rewarded as Whitewater's Twinkie III couldn't convert on a kick attempt. Bianca shot long-distance to the top right on the 10, sinking it for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Bianca outplayed the Shores' Twinkie III again in game 2, forcing the visitor into a couple of misses and making multiple balls on most of her turns. Bianca secured the series at 2-0 by making the 10 on her second try for the win. Game 3 was the sloppiest of the series, with both players leaving some shots in the open with aggressive tactics. Twinkie III had a three-ball run late in the game, but Bianca would be the one cleaning up the last two shots to win, sweeping the series 3-0 to advance again.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Yekaterina Vasilyeva v. Midnight. Staying on the same red cue 10-ball bracket, we play our second series of the day. Victoria's Yekaterina had a huge five-ball run in game 1, the highlight for her, but a late fade allowed Westside's Midnight to make the last two balls for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Yekaterina recovered in game 2, as a defensive game early turned into quite the battle late with the Rockers' Midnight challenging. She missed on the 9, allowing Yekaterina a chance to finish the game, which she did, tying the series at 1 in the process. Game 3 came down to the final shot, but it was Yekaterina scratching while shooting the 10 that turned the tide in favor of Midnight, who tapped in the 10 to win and take the series 2-1. Midnight advances to the second round, traveling to Pronger's Ford Forum to face the Tridents' Zach.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Spice v. Waluigi. This is the second series in a venue doubleheader, with the players shooting 15-ball with the silver cue, and the winner will face Eastside Shark Paps in the second round. Victoria's Spice made a couple of difficult shots in game 1, keeping Maplewood's Waluigi behind her in a skill sense. Things got tricky around the 7, which eventually went in combination for Spice to take the game 1 win and a 1-0 series lead as she hit the 15 to the top left. Game 2 was quite forgettable for both players, as the poor break from the Spurs' Spice led to minutes of poor and sloppy shooting, culminating in a miss on the 15 by the Lumberjacks' Waluigi. Spice tapped it in to win, clinching the series at 2-0 despite her iffy shooting. Spice iced the series at 3-0 in game 3, having two close calls on the 15 before a 5-10-15 combination sank it in the top side to get the win over an overwhelmed Waluigi, sending Spice to host Paps next round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Panda. One of the historically worst players meets this year's worst qualifier in 8-ball with the silver cue. Atlantic's Delila showed promise with a five-ball run from the break, but she couldn't get any more after that, hitting a wall that saw Southern's Panda rally all the way back to take the win with short runs for a 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Delila was concerned of a game 2 collapse as well, as she worked a seven-ball run only to see the Monarchs' Panda answer with a four-ball run. Delila made the 8 to the top side to end the scare, tying the series at 1. Delila went deep on a six-ball run in game 3, including making three stripes on the break. Panda answered with a five-ball run, and while Delila did make the last stripe, she missed on the 8. Panda buried a three-ball run-out to swipe the series 2-1, earning him a trip to Cisco Arena in Tysini to face the Hummingbirds' Charli.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Salmo v. Sally. The red cue returns to action for 9-ball, with a rookie going against a longtime star. Archtown's Sally held off a strong start from the Lighton Prestige rookie Salmo, answering in the end with a four-ball run-out to give Sally the win and a 1-0 advantage in the series. Game 2 went much the same, with the Prestige's Salmo getting in a few shots early on, but the Arrows' Sally had other plans for the finish. Using remarkable foresight and positioning, Sally made the end very easy in her five-ball run-out, clinching the series at 2-0 with the victory. Sally couldn't quite keep up the routine in game 3, leaving the 9 available for Salmo to bank to the top side on an impressive shot that make it a 2-1 series overall. Sally heads to the second round with the win.
House of 10 Windows, Del Sur: Panda v. Misty. The blue cue gets its first series of the day, playing Accuracy. Game 1 was very tight, with Southern's Panda inducing a miss onto Westside's Misty early on. She returned the favor late, forcing overtime, and Panda missed again, giving Misty the 1-2 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Panda played a bit tougher in game 2, forcing the Rockers' Misty to take three straight misses that would prove too much for her to come back from. Panda did fade at the end with a tough spread of shots, but he held on for a 3-5 win to tie the series at 1. Panda thrilled the crowd in game 3, falling behind early only to quickly put Misty down by multiple shots. The final favored Panda 2-5, giving him the series at 2-1 and sending him into the second round for a second time today.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Cheddar v. Patches. The silver cue is back for more 8-ball, with the winner of this series set to face Roxy in the next round. North Modernistic's Cheddar had a bit of a slow start, but Boston's Patches couldn't make an impact, and Cheddar used short runs in the middle and late stages of the game to get the win, ending on a sweet kick of the 8 to the top right for the 1-0 series lead. In game 2, both players had four-ball runs to start their effort. The Nighthawks' Cheddar back it up with a three-ball run, while the Swifts' Patches only made two and fouled, giving Cheddar a tap-in on the 8 to get the win and clinch the series at 2-0. Patches had the early advantage in game 3, but Cheddar wiped it out with a five-ball run, ending on a scratch but also with a highlight double-pot of the 9 to the bottom side and 13 to the bottom right. Cheddar recovered enough to make a three-ball run-out with excellent positioning to secure the sweep at 3-0, sending her to the next round to face Roxy at this venue.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Dani v. Leonardo. The last series before the break has the silver cue up for Accuracy. Game 1 saw Midland's Leonardo fall behind early on, and while he tried to make things difficult for Web City's Dani, she proved slippery and he couldn't keep up with her. The final score favored Dani 3-6, giving her a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 appeared to be heading down the same path, but a critical bank of the 5 to the bottom side put the Predators' Leonardo in control. The Spiders' Dani reeled for two misses in a row, and she would take the 2-4 loss in the end, allowing Leonardo to tie the series at 1 with his win. Dani had Leonardo on the ropes for much of game 3, with only a scratch causing her trouble late in the game. Leonardo failed to pressure her, and Dani won 2-4 to take the series 2-1 and advance to the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Dani v. Nikolai. The Spiders newcomer will stay in action, leading off the night with 15-ball and the red cue in the second half of her doubleheader. Web City's Dani had quite the break, sending the cue ball flying off the table. Small errors piled up for her in the game, which allowed Freedom's Nikolai to have free reign in the end, as he put up a four-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was a bit sloppy, with the Cascades' Nikolai producing a soft break that proved troublesome for most of the game. In the end, the Spiders' Dani missed on the 15, and it fell in line for Nikolai to take, giving him the series as well as he went up 2-0 in the series. Nikolai had a four-ball run to pace his game 3 attack, and while Dani kept things competitive, her late miss on the 15 gave away another game to Nikolai, as he advanced on a 3-0 sweep. Nikolai will face the Meteors' Nibbles in Viewpoint Sound's Volkswagen Stadium Events Center in the next round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Hannah v. Lorde. Inexperienced players go head-to-head in this series of Rotation with the red cue. Commerce's Lorde had to weather a heavy early attack from Royal's Hannah in game 1, but she came out just fine, rallying to tie and eventually win the game 8-5 for a 1-0 lead in the series for Lorde. In game 2, the Tradewinds' Lorde started on a four-ball run, only to be caught immediately by a four-ball run from the Crowns' Hannah. Lorde got away on the second escape, as a miss by Hannah led to Lorde kicking the 9 into the bottom left and then banking the 10 to the bottom side for the 8-4 win, sealing the series at 2-0 with the victory. Lorde should have had game 3 as well, dominating early only to give up a four-ball run-out to Hannah at the end of an 8-7 loss. The series still favored Lorde 2-1, sending her to the second round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Twinkie II v. Max. The silver cue ends its 8-ball obligations for the round with this series. Game 1 went horribly wrong for Harrison's Twinkie II, as she was already behind when she illegally potted the 8, giving Queens' Max an expedited win and a 1-0 series lead in embarrassing fashion. The Flames' Max came out with a four-ball run from the break, answered directly with a four-ball run from the Specters' Twinkie II on what was her only turn in game 2. Max shot right back with a four-ball run-out to seal the game, using clever shot selection and execution to get the win and a 2-0 series lead. Twinkie II applied a lot of pressure in game 3, working her way to a six-ball run early on. Max made somewhat of a comeback, but Twinkie II banked the 8 to the bottom left to get the win, making it a 2-1 series. Max will travel Westside's BMW RockDome to face the Rockers' Goatee in the second round.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Dominic v. Leandra. The last series of the day is a battle between brother and sister in 7-ball with the blue cue. Viewpoint Sound's Dominic seemed to have the edge in game 1, but a late miss on the 7 ruined the game, as Tysini's Leandra cashed in on a bank to the bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead. Leandra fared very well in game 2 as well, as the Hummingbirds' star used the Meteors' Dominic missing on the 2 as the catalyst for her quick finish. Leandra needed only two shots, making a 3-7 combination to the top left to secure the game and clinch the series at 2-0. Leandra completed the 3-0 sweep of her brother with a three-ball run-out in game 3, with two tough cuts and a bank of the 7 to the top side to end it effectively. Leandra is through to the second round.
We'll continue to play at approximately this pace as long as the shooting is passable.
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