We're back with a brand new day of games, beginning with...
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Nibbles v. Kiwi. A hyped rookie and superstar captain meet in today's first series, 12-ball with the silver cue. Viewpoint Sound's Nibbles had a three-ball run from the break in game 1, but Terrace City's Kiwi took the upper hand with a four-ball run. Nibbles managed to defend and then make his final two balls for the win, earning a 1-0 series lead despite the great effort from Kiwi. The Meteors' Nibbles gave away two wild-card balls to the Knights' Kiwi in game 2, who couldn't seem to do anything with the added flexibility in her shooting choices. Nibbles worked patiently around the table, ending with a kick on the 3 to the top side for the win, securing the series at 2-0. Kiwi had the upper hand again in game 3, but wasted it when she couldn't pull off an intentional scratch. This led to Nibbles getting ball-in-hand for his four-ball run-out, all on prepared shots, which gave him the series in a 3-0 sweep to advance to the second round.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Whiskers v. Solaris. The silver cue stays in action for 7-ball in this series between Torpedoes teammates. Whiskers had a slow start to game 1, but got it all figured out after Solaris couldn't pot the 3. Whiskers went on a four-ball run-out from there, picking her shots effectively to earn the win and a 1-0 series lead. Whiskers had the better of play again in game 2, but not by as much as before. Solaris had a hard time getting his shots positioned, with much of his work benefiting the lighter-hitting Whiskers, whose win clinched the series for her at 2-0. Whiskers had a good game 3, but she wasn't prepared for the move that Solaris pulled off to win it, a 5-7 combination on a tough angle to the top right. Whiskers still took the series 2-1 from her teammate, and she will host Lorde of the Commerce Tradewinds in the second round at this venue.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Leonardo v. Jasmine. The red cue gets a look in 8-ball for this series. Midland's Leonardo began game 1 with a three-ball run, easily answered by Freedom's Jasmine. Leonardo pulled away later on a four-ball run, which Jasmine had no answer for, and three turns later, Leonardo corralled the 8 for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' started game 2 in a stronger position, and looked even better after a mid-game scratch from the Predators' Leonardo. This was all part of Leonardo's plan, as he held on and kept Jasmine to the perimeter before creating a four-ball run-out, going backward to move forward in the win and a 2-0 series. Leonardo seemed to have the better of game 3 for awhile, but Jasmine roared back on a run. She nearly fell short anyways, struggling with the 8 before Leonardo missed on his last ball and Jasmine made the 8. Leonardo won the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Oreo v. Bright. Two veterans meet after the lunch break for a series of Accuracy with the red cue. Both players had an excellent start to game 1, but they couldn't make it last, and the game quickly turned ugly. In the end, Terrace City's Oreo topped North Modernistic's Bright with a 5-6 win, after exchanging a long sequence of misses. Oreo leads the series 1-0. The Knights' Oreo fell behind a bit quickly in game 2, but managed to pull even by the end, forcing overtime. Oreo made nothing on the overtime break, and the Nighthawks' Bright made the 2 to the top side for the 2-3 win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 was a far cry from game 1, as Bright remained perfect from start to finish, and only a narrow miss on a cut and a final scratch set Oreo back, giving Bright the 0-2 win and 2-1 series win. Bright will be in Whitewater's Samsung Arena to face the Shores' Shaggy in the second round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Snuggle v. Delila. Elder members of their club clash in this 10-ball series with the blue cue. Atlantic's Delila had an impressive double-pot of the 1 to the top right and 6 to the bottom right in game 1, but Oceanside's Snuggle made a five-ball run and got the 10 on his second try for the win and a 1-0 series lead in a more resilient appearance. The Pirates' Delila decided to strike quickly in game 2, capitalizing on illegal contact from the Waves' Snuggle by using ball-in-hand to make the 2-10 combination to the top right, giving her the equalizing win to make it a 1-all series. Snuggle had game 3 in his grip, but his three-ball run ended with him illegally potting the 8 after calling the 10 on a deflection play. This deferred possession to Delila, who buried the 10 from where the cue lay to get the 2-1 series win. Delila advances to the second round with her smart choice to hold possession.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Peach v. Cheddar. It's an all-Nighthawks series this time, played in 9-ball with the silver cue. Peach pretty much dominated in game 1, working two balls from the break and a four-ball run-out at the end to defeat Cheddar, who contributed very little to the offensive effort. Peach leads the series 1-0. Peach had another good start in game 2, but a rough middle of the game allowed Cheddar to built a bit of offense from a three-ball run. Cheddar ended with a kick-combination attempt, going 8-9 toward the bottom right but coming up short. Peach double-potted those balls for the win, clinching the series at 2-0. Game 3 was sloppy for both players, but especially so for Cheddar, who allowed Peach to get many more shots than she should have. Peach replied by taking the 9 late when Cheddar left it short, giving Peach a 3-0 series sweep. Peach will play in the second round.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Mams v. Bianca. The red cue is back for 12-ball between a rising star and a rookie standout. Southridge's Bianca didn't let a rookie mistake hold her back in game 1, although she was dangerously close to losing, as Viewpoint Sound's Mams barely missed on her last ball. Bianca tapped in the winning shot for a 1-0 series lead in a close game. The Meteors' Mams had a case of de ja vu in game 2, missing her final ball at the bottom side yet again to let the Defenders' Bianca off the hook. Bianca took advantage, winning the game on her final shot after a tough fight, and she secured the series at 2-0. Bianca didn't need a lucky break late in game 3, as she pushed her way through the rack with efficiency this time, winning handily over Mams to take the series in a 3-0 sweep. Bianca heads to Pacific's Verizon Field Events Center to face the Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty in the second round.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Misty v. Zach. The blue cue is back for 7-ball in this series. Westside's Misty had a decent start in game 1, but she couldn't make it hold up long-term, and a four-ball run from Pronger's Zach shifted the momentum. Misty did get a chance on the 7, but missed it wide, and Zach potted it for the win, taking the 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Misty got a game back by winning game 2, capitalizing on a slow start from the Tridents' Zach that culminated in him scratching. Misty made a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand immediately after this, tying the series at 1 with her win. Misty stayed strong in game 3 as well, making a three-ball run early and then the final two shots, including a clinching 6-7 combination to the bottom right at a tough angle. Misty won the series 2-1 over Zach, and Misty will host the player Zach was exchanged for at the draft in the second round, as the Viewpoint Sound Meteors' Hoot comes to town.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sally v. Stripes. Two of Empyre's members will play in 12-ball with the blue cue. Archtown's Sally had a fight on her hands in game 1, but she defeated Terrace City's Stripes by defending the top side, getting around Stripes' defense at the bottom left, and using a wild-card ball to hold Stripes off at the end, all for Sally to go ahead 1-0 in the series. The Arrows' Sally gave away the wild-card ball in game 2, briefly allowing the Knights' Stripes an advantage. Stripes had trouble with shooting from distance, which was all that Sally would give her, and Sally made her final two shots in due time to get the win despite her disadvantage, clinching the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw Sally employ a soft break that led to a three-ball run for her. Stripes controlled much of the middle of the game, but Sally ended on a three-ball run-out after Stripes couldn't hit her final ball, and Sally swept the series 3-0. Sally will host Southridge Defenders rookie Hughbert at this venue in the second round.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Blizzard v. Chelsea. The blue cue remains in action for a series of Rotation. Game 1 saw Everton's Blizzard hold a small lead early on, only for Eastside's Chelsea to unleash a five-ball run to gain the lead. Blizzard chipped back on a three-ball run, and Chelsea still couldn't close the game, so Blizzard won 8-7 with a three-ball run-out ending on a huge bank of the 15 to the bottom left, giving the host a 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Chelsea burst out to a lead in game 2, but she did face some early resistance from the Eagles' Blizzard, who kept the game close initially. It took Chelsea going on another short run to break away, and she ended with an 8-4 win after Blizzard just couldn't keep up. Chelsea's win tied the series at 1. Blizzard absolutely dominated in game 3, earning possession a few times from Chelsea's errors. Blizzard ended the game on a three-ball run-out with great positioning, winning 8-1 for the 2-1 series win. Blizzard advances to the second round.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Wario v. Ruby. The silver cue is in for 15-ball between a rookie and a star. Archtown's Ruby had a decent enough start to game 1, but really came alive in the later stages, making a five-ball run-out to counter a pair of good shots from Victoria's Wario. Ruby's late burst of offense put her ahead 1-0 in the series with the win. Game 2 had none of the flurries of possession as game 1 had, instead taking a chippy and tough battle motif. The Spurs' Wario seemed to waste more of his chances to make an impact, none bigger than his light miss on the 15 at the end, allowing Ruby to clinch the series at 2-0 on a tap-in to win. Ruby began game 3 on a big five-ball run from the break, setting the tone for a fast game. By the end, it was a Wall Street game with four banks on the last six balls. Wario started this with an 8-11 bank combination to the bottom side. Ruby answered by making the 10 and the 14 on more typical bank shots, but she missed on the 15. Wario banked this in to the bottom right for the win, although Ruby advances to the second round on a 2-1 series win.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Lorde v. Hoot. We end the day with a series of 10-ball with the blue cue. Commerce's Lorde had a slight edge in game 1, just barely outplaying Viewpoint Sound's Hoot in a slow-moving battle. Lorde picked up the pace at the end, working a three-ball run-out to take the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Hoot had a five-ball run during game 2, looking to pace himself to an equalizer, but it all fell apart when he missed contact on the 10 at the end. The Tradewinds' Lorde buried the 10 from ball-in-hand to win the game, clinching the series as well at 2-0. Lorde stayed in control for much of game 3, downing Hoot yet again with a three-ball run-out to take the series in a 3-0 sweep. Lorde is through to the second round with the strong performance.
That's all for today. @UnitedPCL on Twitter is your source for all of the latest UPCL news.
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