Intel Center, Diamond: Pedey v. Twilight. The first medal round participant will be in Accuracy, representing the silver cue. Central's Twilight was good enough early on in game 1 that a late-game fade didn't hurt her chances of winning. Diamond's Pedey was too far behind to capitalize, dropping the game 4-5 to Twilight, who leads the series 1-0. In game 2, the shooting remained poor, but it was the Warriors' Twilight collapsing again in the end, and the Gems' Pedey did well enough to hold a lead, winning the game 5-6 to tie the series at 1 in what has been a sloppy start to the round. Twilight played much better in game 3, hardly bending at all even as Pedey played well late in the game. Twilight managed to hold onto her early lead and make it a 1-3 win for the 2-1 series win, pushing her through to the finals. Twilight went 10-2 on the bracket, two games better than the minimum.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Potter v. Blizzard. The silver continues its early run with 12-ball in this series. Positioning was not an issue in game 1, as both players received favorable lies from the break. Everton's Blizzard did well early, but Pronger's Potter applied later pressure with a four-ball run. Blizzard defended Potter's final pocket well, and eventually got position to win the game and take a 1-0 series lead. The Eagles' Blizzard did even better in game 2, with a three-ball run from the break already making things difficult for the Tridents' Potter. He put up a good effort, but Potter couldn't produce a late run against heavily defended left corner pockets, and Blizzard tapped in her final two shots for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Blizzard put up a four-ball run from the break in game 3, but it was the wild-card ball she gave away to Potter that hurt her, as he ran the rest of his suit in five straight shots for the win. Blizzard took the series 2-1 to go to the finals, and finished 9-3 on the bracket, a game better than necessary.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Brownie v. Princess. A pair of Hummingbirds teammates meet as the silver cue does Rotation this time. Things were tough at first in a contested start to the game, but Brownie flipped it around really quickly with a seven-ball run-out to get the 8-2 win, stunning Princess with force and accuracy of her shots as Brownie charged up to a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was even better for Brownie, as she established a lead with two balls on the break, and Princess never pulled even in the game. Brownie brought things to a quick end with a four-ball run-out, securing the series at 2-0 with her 8-1 win. Brownie had an early advantage in game 3, and she would double down after Princess caught her once, but Princess salvaged the game with a five-ball run-out to win 8-6 in a remarkable comeback effort. Brownie still took the series 2-1, heading to the finals with a 9-3 record so far.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Dustin v. Tigerette. Two very strong players meet in 9-ball, the last of the opening silver cue stretch of series. Central's Dustin started a bit slowly in game 1, but Commerce's Tigerette didn't put up much of a fight, allowing Dustin to charge forward later. He would make the last four balls on two turns, winning the game for a 1-0 series lead over Tigerette. Game 2 had a similar slow start, but the Tradewinds' Tigerette did not play as passive a game. Instead, Tigerette made the 1 to the bottom left and then used the 2 to direct the cue toward the 9, which sank in the top right for the win. Tigerette tied the series with the Warriors' Dustin at 1 with that two-shot stretch of play. Game 3 went much better from a pace of play standpoint, as both players made their early shots, leaving a race to the finish. Tigerette's miss on the 7 proved to be pivotal, as Dustin made a three-ball run-out after that to clinch the series at 2-1. Dustin heads off to the finals, with a 9-3 record on the bracket.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Sierra. The blue cue makes its debut in the round in Rotation. Atlantic's Delila appeared to control the early parts of the game, but a scratch turned things around. Todavía's Sierra cued up a five-ball run from ball-in-hand to be on the brink of a win, and Delila missed contact on the next shot, allowing Sierra a tap-in for the 8-3 win and 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Sierra had a bad break, but the Pirates' Delila couldn't do anything to make her pay for it. Sierra held a small lead at first, and then another scratch turned things in favor of Sierra, who took a three-ball run to grow her lead and then made her final shot on the next turn to win 8-2, clinching the series at 2-0. Delila had a very similar game 3, scratching just as she started to score, which allowed Sierra to pull off a five-ball run-out for the 8-1 win and 3-0 series sweep. Sierra is riding high after her big wins, taking a 9-3 record from the bracket to the finals.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Wario v. Stinky. Power-shooting players meet up in Accuracy with the red cue. Victoria's Wario took a hard-line approach at the start of game 1, watching as Freedom's Stinky botched his early shots. Stinky would never get back in the game, as Wario played well in a 1-4 win by the host, earning Wario a 1-0 series lead with the effort. In game 2, the Spurs' Wario thought he had made a savvy play by erring earlier and forcing the Cascades' Stinky into another error. Wario didn't account for missing again, which would force a lively overtime. Stinky made two balls on the break in overtime, but he couldn't bust a cluster cleanly, and scratched. Wario walked away with a 2-3 win to secure the series at 2-0 after making the certifying shot. Wario scratched on the break of game 3, a critical mistake that would haunt him all game as Stinky held him at arm's length in a 4-5 win for the visitor. Wario won the series 2-1, advancing to the finals with a 9-3 record from the bracket.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Marsell v. Rainmane. The two lowest seeds in 8-ball with the blue cue meet for a trip to the finals. Whitewater's Marsell didn't get the suit he wanted in game 1, and Midland's Rainmane showed very well why her suit was preferred in a four-ball run that could have been more. Marsell survived long enough to get a second chance on the 8 after Rainmane flubbed her shot, and Marsell buried it for the win and a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Predators' Rainmane seemed a bit slow out of the starting blocks. This allowed the Shores' Marsell to get near the end of the game, but he couldn't corral his shots very well, and Rainmane slowly chipped back, eventually earning the win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 had a fun ending, as Marsell went on a five-ball run first, only to miss the 8, leaving Rainmane free to do her own five-ball run that ended with the same fate, a miss on the 8. Marsell buried the 8 on his second chance, earning the win and a 2-1 series win. Marsell advances to the finals with a 9-3 record on the bracket.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Caitlin v. Shadow. The last series of the afternoon is in 10-ball, and is also the silver cue's last of the day. Game 1 seemed to be a battle of near misses and broken runs, and errors for Web City's Shadow. Oceanside's Caitlin didn't maximize her return from ball-in-hand, but at the end, she got a three-ball run-out to take the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Caitlin was much better in game 2, dominating possession early on. The Spiders' Shadow made a bit of a challenge near the end, but his miss on the 7 led Caitlin to making it in the top right, and then executing a bank-combination, 9-10 to the bottom right, for the win and a 2-0 series lead. Caitlin had everything lined up late in game 3, but a scratch on the 8 hurt her game as it ended a four-ball run. Shadow didn't get the 10 on the first try, but he made it the second time to get the win. Caitlin still won the series 2-1, advancing to the finals on a bare-minimum 8-4 record from the bracket.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: A. Charlton v. Easter. After the break, the blue cue gets some time in 15-ball. Short runs ruled the day in game 1, with Todavía's Easter finding a bit more success early on than Golden's Charlton. Charlton nearly made a finishing run, but her shot left the 13 at the top side, and Easter made that and the 15 to win and take a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Charlton stunned the Stills' Easter in game 2, winning with an amazing 3-15 combination that turned into a double-pot after a bank. The 3 went to the top left, while the 15 rolled true into the top side for the winner, tying the series at 1 in a very quick fashion. In game 3, Easter had a five-ball run over the middle of the game, forcing Charlton to answer with a four-ball run. This left the 15 in play, but Easter couldn't make it, and Charlton buried it on the second try to get the win and a 2-1 series win. Charlton heads to the finals with a 9-3 record from the bracket.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca v. Zach. Inexperienced players meet in 10-ball with the red cue. Southridge's Bianca started stronger than Pronger's Zach in game 1, but Bianca faded a bit later in the game. Zach worked on a three-ball run to get to the 10, but he missed it twice, and Bianca buried it for the win, giving her a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Zach had a wonderful game 2, making a four-ball run early on, and then a six-ball run-out after the Defenders' Bianca made no effort to contribute to the game. Zach's dominant win tied the series at 1. Game 3 saw a total reversal of fate for Zach, as he had little to no offensive control of the game. Bianca paced the attack with a pair of four-ball runs, but at the end of the last one, she left the 10 short at the top right, and Zach tapped it in for the win to steal the series 2-1. Zach's impressive survival play helped him advance to the finals, where he's in good shape with a 10-2 record on the bracket.
Intel Center, Diamond: Citrus v. Ice Cream. These club-mates battle it out in 9-ball with the blue cue. Diamond's Citrus had a hot start with a three-ball run from the break in game 1, but Commerce's Ice Cream played well at the end with a four-ball run on one turn and the 9 on the other for the win, giving the visitor a 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Citrus was a bit more consistent in game 2, keeping the Tradewinds' Ice Cream away from the table at the start and the end of the game. Citrus closed with a strong four-ball run-out, cutting the 9 to the top right to earn the win and tie the series at 1 game apiece. Ice Cream went all in late in game 3, but her shot on the 5 ended a three-ball run as the cue curled straight to the top left corner for a scratch. This left Citrus with a ball-in-hand shot on the 9 for the win, which she converted, giving Citrus a 2-1 series win. Citrus went 8-4 on the bracket to punch her ticket to the finals.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Sprinkles v. Chicky Phil. A former Sharpshooter meets a current one in 10-ball with the blue cue to end the day. Game 1 saw quite a balanced effort, but Capital City's Sprinkles had the upper hand. Pacific's Chicky Phil deferred possession back to her after she illegally made the 4, allowing him to work on a three-ball run that ended in a scratch. Sprinkles then made a three-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Volcanoes' Chicky Phil was clearly outmatched by the Sharpshooters' Sprinkles, but he made a wise choice late in the game. Sprinkles had closed a four-ball run by illegally potting the 10, and Chicky Phil deferred to allow Sprinkles a second chance, which she scratched on. Chicky Phil then made the 10 from ball-in-hand, exploiting the rules to win the game and tie the series at 1. Sprinkles followed through a bit better in game 3, scoring a four-ball run-out after learning from a mistake shot earlier in the game that ended in a scratch. Sprinkles won the series 2-1 without much challenge from Chicky Phil. Sprinkles went 8-4 on the bracket to go to the finals, where she'll host the Oceanside Waves' Caitlin in the preliminary stage, while the Pronger Tridents' Zach awaits the winner of that.
The bracket finals will wrap up tomorrow if all goes well. Follow along live on Twitter
No comments:
Post a Comment