We're back for the first weekday of the A-level, where we will begin to establish a schedule of morning and afternoon sessions for pool, and more nighttime cricket play. We begin the morning today with...
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Neopolitan v. Paige. Today's first series is on the busiest bracket, 7-ball with the blue cue. Pearl's Neopolitan had a strong game 1, doing most of the offensive heavy-lifting while Queens' Paige couldn't get a shot established. Neopolitan had a four-ball run in the middle of the game, but won a turn later with the 7 to the top right for a 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Neopolitan had a good start to game 2, but it appeared the Flames' Paige would close it out. Instead, Paige ended a three-ball run with a miss on the 7 after banking the 5 cleanly to the bottom right, and Neopolitan made the 7 on her only chance to get the win for a 2-0 lead in the series. Paige had a decent run in game 3, making three in a row, but a late game collapse and another short leave on the 7 gave Neopolitan the win and the 3-0 series sweep to take into the second round.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sleepy B. v. Misty. These two Solid Core colleagues face off in 8-ball with the blue cue. Game 1 went poorly for both sides, with no runs materializing and frequent exchanges of possession due to errors. Archtown's Sleepy B. just edged Westside's Misty in the end, making the 8 after Misty made illegal contact, giving Sleepy B. the 1-0 series lead. Game 2 didn't start so well either, but the Rockers' Misty corrected herself in the end, making a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand after illegal contact by the Arrows' Sleepy B. on a kick attempt toward the 9. Misty's win tied the series at 1. Sleepy B.'s struggles disappeared in game 3, as she developed a six-ball run-out to take the win against a shocked Misty, who went unrewarded for a good break and solid shooting afterward. Sleepy B. took the series 2-1, advancing to the second round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Salmo v. Cobalt. Two of Outcast's rookies clash in a series of 12-ball, also with the blue cue. Stonebridge's Cobalt had some struggles early in the game, as Lighton's Salmo got established at the start of game 1. Cobalt had a scratch, but his next turn saw him take all six balls in a row for the win to take a 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Salmo received a wild-card ball after a bit of frustration in the middle of game 2 for the Wolves' Cobalt, who saw his run stagnated by a few rattled shots. Salmo used the extra flexibility to leave Cobalt in bad positions until an error gave Salmo ball-in-hand for the final shot to win, tying the series at 1. Cobalt had the jump in game 3, building up a nice lead before Salmo could make a shot. Salmo was resilient, working around the table and beating Cobalt to the bottom side on his final shot, giving Salmo a 2-1 series win and a ticket to the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Sweetheart v. Taylor Swift. Bigger names meet in Rotation as the blue cue takes another series. Game 1 started with Boston's Sweetheart making a ball off an otherwise bad break, allowing her and Eastside's Taylor to operate in close quarters. Near the end, Taylor unlocked the table a bit, but Sweetheart reaped the reward with a four-ball run-out to win 8-5 for a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Sweetheart had a better break in game 2, but the Sharks' Taylor benefited most from it, building an early lead. After a struggle, Sweetheart pulled even, only to see Taylor gain the lead again. Sweetheart stayed strong, rallying at the end with a deflected shot to make the 15 to tie it, and then a tap-in on the 13 for the 8-7 win to secure the series at 2-0. In game 3, Sweetheart was playing a very slow game, and Taylor chipped back at times, but neither player could make a run develop with their poor play, and Sweetheart won 8-5 to make it a 3-0 series sweep. Sweetheart is into the second round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Dusty v. Twinkie I. The silver cue comes on for a series of 8-ball here. Golden's Dusty thought game 1 would be easy after opening with a six-ball run from the break, but Lighton's Twinkie I made a seven-ball run-out on her second turn for the win after some excellent shooting, giving the visitor a 1-0 series lead. In game 3, the Prestige's Twinkie I applied pressure with a late five-ball run that ended in a scratch. The Pilots' Dusty thought she had to take a big shot, and accidentally turned in a 2-8 combination to the bottom right, an illegal finish that gave Twinkie I the series with a win to make it 2-0. Game 3 played out a bit closer, with Dusty challenging late before Twinkie I rattled off a three-ball run-out for the win, making it a 3-0 series sweep she will use to get to the second round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Celestia v. Stealth. The silver cue remains at the table for this 15-ball series. Oceanside's Celestia showed confidence in game 1, working a four-ball run in the middle of the game to set Swordpoint's Stealth on the defensive. This change in strategy failed, as Celestia won with a three-ball run-out, giving the rookie a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Celestia started off well in game 2 as well, making an early six-ball run before falling off a bit. The Blades' Stealth picked up the slack with a four-ball run, and then made the 14-15 combination when Celestia had missed contact on her final shot. Stealth's win tied the series at 1. Stealth started game 3 with two balls on the break, but couldn't gather much momentum after that. Celestia kept things close until the end, where she burst forward with a six-ball run-out to take the win, and she also won the series 2-1, advancing to the second round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Sydney Sierota v. Twinkie II. It's an All-Specters match in Harrison, with the captain and the star facing off in Rotation with the blue cue. Game 1 started poorly, and Twinkie II lost her cool a bit, sending the 5 off the table. This is where Sydney took over, gaining a lead and then working a three-ball run-out for the 8-3 win to take a 1-0 series lead. Sydney didn't look back, starting game 2 on a five-ball run to take a quick lead. Twinkie II never figured out the table in this game, and a scratch set up Sydney for a three-ball run-out in her 8-0 win to seal the series at 2-0. In game 3, Twinkie II had an early lead that Sydney recovered from before the two exchanged short runs in a close game. Twinkie II prevailed when Sydney missed the 15, making it to the bottom left for the 8-7 win. Sydney still advances to the second round on a 2-1 series win.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Missy v. Precious. The silver cue is back for more 15-ball. Game 1 started off alright for Capital City's Missy, but her quality of play dipped late in the game. Pronger's Precious had a breakthrough, nearly completing a three-ball run-out, but the cue drifted into the bottom side, gifting the win to Missy as she takes a 1-0 series lead on the lucky bounce from her perspective. Game 2 was a mess on both side, particularly for the Sharpshooters' Missy, who had no good fortune. The Tridents' Precious at least had a chance to win, making the last two shots after the first good positioning shot of the game to get the win and a tied series at 1-1. Precious had the game on her stick at the end of game 3, and came up short on the 15, leaving Missy to tap it in to end a slightly better but still poorly conducted game. Missy took the sloppy series 2-1 to advance to the second round.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Dominic v. B. Chapman. The blue cue is in for this 12-ball series. Viewpoint Sound's Dominic had good positioning from the start of game 1 for his shots, and while he did give Victoria's Chapman a wild-card ball, she couldn't make anything of it. Dominic ended on a three-ball run-out to take the game for a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Chapman didn't get much going in game 2 either, and she had a wild-card ball to work with until the very end. The Meteors' Dominic played a smart game, patiently setting himself up and converting his last shot on a bank to the top left for the win, sealing the series at 2-0. In game 3, Dominic had plenty of opportunities to challenge Chapman, but he couldn't do it. Chapman had an early four-ball run, but a scratch offset the gains a bit, and Dominic gave away a late wild-card ball, helping Chapman to secure the win. Dominic still won the series 2-1 to advance to the second round.
Intel Center, Diamond: Citrus v. Sierra. A friendly battle between Youth Movement members is up in 7-ball with the red cue. Diamond's Citrus started off well, and Todavía's Sierra helped her opponent more than herself with an early miss. Citrus converted a four-ball run-out on her second turn for the win, giving Citrus the 1-0 series lead. In game 2, things were a bit tighter early on, but the Stills' Sierra still struggled to convert on her shots, and this allowed the Gems' Citrus to close the game in a similar fashion, with a well-struck four-ball run-out to clinch the series at 2-0. Citrus played a decent game 3, but Sierra was at her best in the series in this battle, and she came out on top with a late run that ended on the 7. Citrus took the series 2-1 to advance to the second round, as well as earn bragging rights over Sierra.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sally v. Pounce. Once again, club-mates compete as a pair of Empyre players engage in 15-ball with the red cue. Game 1 started with some of the troubles of the day, as neither player could establish much of a shot. By the end, Archtown's Sally was better off than Southern's Pounce, as Sally closed the win with a three-ball run-out to take a 1-0 lead in the series. If there was a run to be had in game 2, it belonged to the Arrows' Sally, who had the better of play until she illegally contacted the 15. The Monarchs' Pounce, recognizing the tilt of the game, made the 5-15 combination from ball-in-hand to the bottom side to win, tying the series at 1 to keep himself alive. Sally picked up where she left off, and appeared primed for a big run in game 3, going six balls before it ended. Pounce didn't let Sally back to the table, winning on a three-ball run-out to take the game and the 2-1 series. Pounce's savvy shooting earned him a trip to the second round.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Goatee v. Spot. A stingy veteran faces a bold rookie in the last series of the day, 9-ball with the blue cue. Westside's Goatee had the strongest play in game 1, while Pronger's Spot had to get shots where he could. Goatee ended the game with a well-played three-ball run-out, ending on a 6-9 combination to the bottom side for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Goatee opened game 2 with a three-ball run as well, but the game stagnated from here, and the next moment of brilliance came from ball-in-hand, as the Tridents' Spot saved his series with a 4-9 combination to the top right to tie the series at 1 with his win. Spot rallied back in a poor game 3 effort, just barely saving the game by making the 9 after Goatee's four-ball run left it standing. Spot won the series 2-1 to advance to the second round.
I expect to play cricket tonight, but I doubt a post will be made. Follow @UnitedPCL on Twitter to keep up with the latest.
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