We're back for the last day of the week, as we'll be taking at least Saturday off. I'm considering also taking Sunday off from pool to play some cricket, but we'll see on that front. We begin today with...
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Cobalt v. Goatee. The last series of 7-ball with the blue cue for this round is up, pitting rookie against veteran. Westside's Goatee didn't have the best start to game 1, but quickly found her shot as Stonebridge's Cobalt bumbled around the table. Goatee brought the game to an end with her four-ball run-out, earning her a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Goatee earned a big win in game 2 as well, starting with a miss on the break, but then making all seven balls in a row on her second turn as the Wolves' Cobalt just watched. Goatee clinched the series at 2-0 with the immaculate run. Goatee didn't have to pull out a run in game 3, instead waiting for Cobalt to leave a combination set up. That was the 2-7, which Goatee made to the bottom right to earn a 3-0 sweep. Goatee heads to Chevrolet Center in Everton, facing the Eagles captain Goldy in the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Sydney Sierota. The silver cue steps up for some 9-ball now. Harrison's Sydney had a noticeable edge in possession in game 1 over Boston's Patches, not enough to dominate with but certainly strong enough to get the win on short runs. Sydney leads the series 1-0. The Swifts' Patches was much better in game 2, even putting up a four-ball run, but she couldn't make the 9, missing it twice. The Specters' Sydney tapped it in on the second try, giving her the win and the series at 2-0. Patches continued her better play in game 3, and caught a lucky break when Sydney scratched late in the game. Patches made the last four balls over two turns to get the win, making it a 2-1 series win for Sydney. Sydney heads to the second round.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Ice Cream v. Sugar. The blue cue is back for Rotation between these sweetly-named foes. Commerce's Ice Cream had an excellent start in game 1, building a nice lead, only to see Harrison's Sugar charge in front on a five-ball run. This was all the joy Sugar had, as Ice Cream clamped down to get the 8-5 win in a methodical manner, earning a 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Sugar had a luckier and better game 2, frequently making unintended shots to keep her game going. The Tradewinds' Ice Cream took a more traditional approach, but ran out of time in the end, as Sugar locked down the win at 8-6. Sugar left no doubt as to who was taking the series in game 3, coming out with a blazing shot and quickly locking down an inefficient effort from Ice Cream. Sugar won 8-2, taking the series 2-1. Sugar will be in Victoria's Sprint Hall to face her sister, the Spurs captain Spice, in the second round.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Dustin v. Dreamy. The red cue makes its debut today in 8-ball between these two stars. Swordpoint's Dreamy had a slow start in game 1, watching as Central's Dustin picked through his suit relatively easily. Eventually, Dustin stalled out, and a five-ball run got Dreamy back in the fight. Dreamy would later win as Dustin's defense failed, giving her a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Dustin put up a good fight in game 2, as the Blades' Dreamy quickly pressured him with her six-ball run near the start of the game. Dustin scrabbled a bit with his shooting, but found a five-ball run-out in the end, earning the win to tie the series at 1. Dustin never caught up in game 3, matching Dreamy with opening three-ball runs, but taking a later scratch that ruined his offense. Dreamy took the win and a 2-1 series, earning a trip to HP Field Events Center in Midland to oppose the Predators' Leonardo in the second round.
House of 10 Windows, Del Sur: Hoppy v. Shannon. A pair of Southern Monarchs meets in 15-ball with the red cue. Neither player really managed to assert themselves in the game, chipping their way through the rack. Near the end, Shannon had a scratch while trying to get position on the 14, allowing Hoppy to make the last two shots from ball-in-hand for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Shannon brought game 2 to a much quicker end despite Hoppy's decent play early on. On her second-to-last turn, Shannon rattled the 15 around toward the bottom right, and when Hoppy left it aligned, Shannon made the 4-15 combination for the win, tying the series at 1. Shannon seemed to be bossing play in game 3 pretty well, including a late four-ball run, but Hoppy didn't care, making the 10-15 combination to end a two-ball run-out for the win, which also gave her the series at 2-1. Hoppy beats her teammate to get to the second round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Debby Ryan. It's a battle between captains in 12-ball, as the silver cue returns to action for this series. Lighton's Acorn thought game 1 would be easy after making a four-ball run on the break, but Southridge's Debby answered with a four-ball run of her own. Debby later missed contact, allowing Acorn to establish himself well, and Debby couldn't defend forever, so Acorn picked up the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Debby had a better game 2, as the Prestige's Acorn had a less favorable break and couldn't get his last three shots positioned. Debby cashed in on this with quick shooting and a couple of fortunate bounces to pick up the win, tying the series at 1. Debby had a very good break in game 3, making a pair of balls and adding one more to up the pressure. She spent most of the game chasing her final shot toward the bottom left, and while Acorn pieced together a three-ball run, he missed his only chance to win on a wild kick. Debby took the game and a 2-1 series win to advance to the second round.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Ms. Kitty v. Yekaterina Vasilyeva. The blue cue is back for Accuracy. Neither player seemed to plan on missing in game 1, until a very late one from Pacific's Ms. Kitty. Beyond getting the 0-1 win for the 1-0 series lead, Victoria's Yekaterina had a double-pot with the 6 to the bottom left and the 15 to the top right for a highlight shot. In game 2, missing was a more common occurrence, especially for the Spurs' Yekaterina, who had quite a bit of difficulty keeping her shot in line. The Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty played fairly well while pacing the game, earning the win 2-5 to tie the series at 1. Game 3 started much like game 2 with the sloppy play, but went much more like game 3 over the long haul, as it took until a late miss by Ms. Kitty to split the players. Yekaterina held on at the end to win 1-2, taking the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
Intel Center, Diamond: Citrus v. Snuggle. The blue cue stays in action for this series of Rotation between high-profile veterans. Diamond's Citrus faced almost no resistance from Oceanside's Snuggle in game 1. Citrus basically had her way with the game, going on short runs and using Snuggle's lack of defense to create her own offense. Citrus won 8-1, taking a 1-0 series lead in short order. The Gems' Citrus came out cold in game 2, allowing the Waves' Snuggle to build up quite the lead initially. Citrus slowly worked her way back into the game, nearly tying it before Snuggle broke free at the end to win 8-5, tying the series at 1. Snuggle nearly had game 3, building up a huge lead early on. Citrus evened the score with a six-ball run, surging late, but both she and Snuggle missed the last ball on their first tries. Citrus won 8-7 when she potted it on her second chance, taking the series 2-1. Citrus will host the Everton Eagles' Blizzard in the second round.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Nibbles v. Paps. When the action returns, the red cue is up for 9-ball in this series. Eastside's Paps showed a flair for the dramatic kick in game 1, as he made the 7 on a kick-bank to the bottom left, and then potted the 9 on a kick, deflating Viewpoint Sound's Nibbles in the late stages. Paps took the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Paps opened game 2 with a commanding three-ball run, but nearly saw it go to waste as the Meteors' Nibbles had a three-ball run late. Nibbles lost it with a bad miss on the 9, and Paps cleaned it up for the win, clinching the series at 2-0. Game 3 went at a very fast pace, as Nibbles worked a four-ball run on his first and only turn, ending in a scratch that set up Paps for a challenging but successful five-ball run-out to take the series in a 3-0 sweep. Paps will play in the second round at Amazon Field Exhibition Hall in Golden, facing the Pilots' Strut.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Whiskers. Southwestern rivals renew their battle in Rotation with the red cue. Lighton's Acorn had a couple of nice runs in game 1, doing enough with those to put pressure on Infinity's Whiskers. The second run, going three balls, put Acorn on the verge of the win, but it took a few turns before he locked down the 8-4 victory to earn a 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Whiskers had a good game in game 2, but only after the Prestige's Acorn stalled out after a big opening run. Whiskers made a three-ball run to tie the game, and then won with a four-ball run-out a few turns later to take the 8-5 victory, tying the series at 1 as well. Whiskers had to fight for game 3, as neither player was willing to take much of a risk in their decisive game. Whiskers prevailed, as Acorn couldn't back up his defense with any meaningful offense, while Whiskers chipped here and there to get the 8-3 win and 2-1 series win. Whiskers advances to the second round.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Prism v. Ms. Puppy. A rookie hosts a captain in a series of Rotation, this time with the blue cue. Stonebridge's Prism came out hot in game 1, and while Modernistic's Ms. Puppy could have made it a closer game, she missed a number of shots, including a late 8-12 combination that Prism would convert as a double-pot for the 8-1 win and 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Prism started a bit slower in game 2, and the Union's Ms. Puppy proved happy to pick up the slack, even working a four-ball run to gain the lead at one point. This was a short-lived lead, as Prism made a four-ball run-out to take the victory on an 8-6 win, securing the series for herself at 2-0. Ms. Puppy had a great game 3, saving a bit of face with a three-ball run-out to cap an 8-1 victory over a much more lethargic Prism. The series still favors Prism, who will host Southern Monarchs captain Panda in the second round at this venue.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Prism v. Wings. The Wolves rookie makes it a doubleheader to close the day, facing a Surfers veteran in Accuracy with the blue cue. Stonebridge's Prism had quite the fight on her hands against Pearl's Wings, who made a double-pot on his first shot. They each missed mid-game, and then a missed contact by Wings was the only other slip-up. Prism iced her 1-2 win with a double-pot to the top side and bottom right, going ahead 1-0 in the series. The Wolves' Prism had a less stellar performance in game 2, but she managed to induce a series of missed shots on the Surfers' Wings late in the game. Wings' desperation fueled the errors, and Prism sailed to a 3-6 win to clinch the series at 2-0. Game 3 ended in poor fashion, as neither player did much in the way of shooting in the lame-duck game. Prism ended up earning the 3-0 sweep on a sloppy 5-7 win, as Wings couldn't hold his line when Prism missed. Prism advances to the second round.
We should have cricket tonight, and a more traditional set of series tomorrow in pool.
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