We're back after taking the weekend off, which will be a common occurrence over the summer as pace play a bit more conservatively. Resuming the operations for this week, we have...
Ebay Center, Queens: Crystal v. Jake. The first series of the day is in 12-ball with the red cue. Queens' Crystal got a nice boost from making two balls on the break, giving her an edge she would never relinquish in game 1. Royal's Jake came close, but two late scratches derailed the effort, and Crystal took a 1-0 series lead with the win. The Flames' Crystal had it even easier in game 2, giving a wild-card ball away on the break to the Crowns' Jake, but getting very strong positioning for her chosen suit of stripes. While her shooting accuracy lacked, Jake didn't make any progress, and Crystal had the game done in three more turns, sealing the series at 2-0. Crystal didn't get very good positions in game 3, and Jake was just a touch faster to get through his suit, setting up and burying his last ball just ahead of Crystal trying to do the same. Crystal still won the series 2-1, and advances to the second round as well.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Dominic v. Hoppy. The silver cue is up for 10-ball in this battle between Coastal rivals. Game 1 showed a bit of balance between the players, as neither one really emerged over the other. The end saw Viewpoint Sound's Dominic leave the 10 short at the bottom right after converting the 9 that Southern's Hoppy had just missed on a bank. Hoppy made the 10 on a tap-in for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Dominic had a stronger game 2 appearance despite a bad break from the Monarchs' Hoppy. Once the congestion cleared a bit, Dominic lined up and converted a three-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 saw Dominic serve up a good break, but Hoppy had the early run of play with a three-ball run. It looked like Dominic would finish strong after a scratch from Hoppy, but Dominic missed on the 9, and Hoppy eventually made the last two balls to get the win and a 2-1 series win to send her through to the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Bryant v. Solaris. One of the best qualifiers takes on one of the best rookies in a series of Rotation with the blue cue. Infinity's Solaris had the early good play, but Maplewood's Bryant overtook him around mid-game. Bryant got no farther, and Solaris retook the lead with a three-ball run, before winning with individual shots after Bryant's scratches to take the 8-4 win. Solaris leads the series 1-0. Game 2 saw a similar pattern emerge early on, as the Torpedoes' Solaris gained an early lead, but the Lumberjacks' Bryant caught up to him. This time, Solaris got on the edge of victory, but couldn't make this second lead stand, as Bryant rallied back patiently for the 8-7 win, tying the series at 1. Bryant showed some of the skill that helped him in qualifying, using a pair of three-ball runs to build a huge lead over Solaris, who didn't help his own cause by scratching. Bryant converted a 7-13 combination to the bottom right, and then made the 7 on the next shot to win 8-1, taking the series 2-1 in a surprising finish.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Dani v. Frosty. The final season debut is here, as the Wolves veteran takes on a Spiders newcomer in 9-ball with the blue cue. Web City's Dani started game 1 a bit slow, but came on strong at the end, with a four-ball run on one turn and the final two balls taken after Stonebridge's Frosty left the 8 short at the top right, giving Dani the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Dani lacked the killer instinct in her shooting in game 2, allowing the Wolves' Frosty to hang around a bit longer than expected. Frosty kept herself in the game with the occasional make, and she got the 9 from ball-in-hand after Dani scratched on a bank attempt. Frosty's win tied the series at 1. Dani showed a bit better in game 3, getting an early burst before trading shots right up to the finish, where Frosty's cut on the 9 left it short, and Dani made it on her second try to get the win and a 2-1 series win to advance on.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Precious v. Brownie. The blue cue stays up for a bit more 9-ball with this series. Pronger's Precious laid in wait in game 1, allowing Tysini's Brownie to do more of the creative shooting. Precious took advantage when the 9 was left near the top right, using the 3 to direct the cue onto it, and the shot worked, giving Precious the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Precious took a more active role in game 2, and it worked well, as she sandwiched a make from the Hummingbirds' Brownie with two three-ball runs, the latter of those serving as the clinching stretch of shots. Precious took the game and secured the series at 2-0. Brownie played a rough game 3, scratching on two separate turns, with the latter of those shots allowing Precious to set up a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand, giving Precious a 3-0 series sweep with the win. Precious is through to the second round.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Mr. Snowman v. Diddley. The game is still 9-ball, but the silver cue has tagged in for this series. Infinity's Mr. Snowman seemed in control of game 1 at the end, piecing together a five-ball run, but it ended in a scratch as he made the 9, gifting a win to Maplewood's Diddley, who leads 1-0 in the series thanks to the ill-timed error by Mr. Snowman. The Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman didn't have much luck in game 2, but he made the 9 on his third try after the Lumberjacks' Diddley peaked on a five-ball run that ended with a miss on the 8. Diddley's late game struggles allowed Mr. Snowman to tie the series at 1 with this win. Diddley again had a five-ball run in game 3, but missed on the 9, and Mr. Snowman was there to poach the win and earn a 2-1 series win with the timely shot. Mr. Snowman advances to the second round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca v. Rainmane. The blue cue is back, playing 7-ball in this appearance. Southridge's Bianca made a ball on the break in game 1, and she kept the pace of play up throughout, shooting around Midland's Rainmane with ease as Bianca took the win when Rainmane missed on the 7. Bianca leads the series 1-0. The Defenders' Bianca played a long game in game 2, making a three-ball run from the break, and then battling hard with the Predators' Rainmane late in the game. Rainmane had a chance to win when Bianca missed contact on the 7, but Rainmane rattled it out of the bottom side, and Bianca made it in the top left for the win and a 2-0 series lead. Bianca had two balls on the break and dominated possession in game 3, but a scratch as she made the 6 dashed her hopes of a sweep, and Rainmane made the 7 to the bottom side for the win. Bianca still took the series 2-1, and will host the Central Warriors' Twilight in this venue in the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Waluigi v. Marsell. The blue cue gets another look at 7-ball, easily the most played bracket so far. Maplewood's Waluigi couldn't ask for a better start in game 1, making the 7 on the break after the cue gave the 7 a couple of correcting deflections to pot it in the top left. Waluigi leads Whitewater's Marsell 1-0 in the series. The Lumberjacks' Waluigi had a pair of balls potted on the break in game 2, but also scratched, allowing the Shores' Marsell to take some shots. Marsell made a three-ball run, but couldn't convert on the 5, and Waluigi made it and the 7 to end the game in a win for himself, clinching the series at 2-0. Waluigi completed the 3-0 series sweep with a slow start and hot finish, winning game 3 with a five-ball run-out to put Marsell away for good in this event. Waluigi will host the Pacific Volcanoes' Leonette at this venue in the second round after his dominant series.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shiny v. Sally. The red cue is back in action for 8-ball in this series between steady veterans. Web City's Shiny took a little time to get going in game 1, allowing Archtown's Sally quite the stretch of play without resistance. Sally couldn't close the game out, and Shiny came roaring back with a six-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Sally cleaned up her play in game 2, going from start to finish in one turn, an eight-ball run-out after a decent break from the Spiders' Shiny ended up not benefiting her at all. Sally's win tied the series at 1. Sally had an acceptable break in game 3, and she traded four-ball runs with Shiny at one point in the middle of the game. Shiny got defensive positioning with the 8, and allowed Sally to do the rest, as Shiny won when Sally illegally potted the 8 while trying to sneak the 7 past it. Shiny's 2-1 series win was not without trouble, but it gets her to the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Paige. The blue cue is up for 15-ball between these proxies of Southeastern rivals. Queens' Paige absolutely dominated in game 1, highlighted by an eight-ball run that ended with a scratch as she shot toward the 15. Boston's Gradley won from ball-in-hand, stealing the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley put up a bit more of a fight in game 2, at least early on, but the Flames' Paige broke free with another deep run, making seven in a row before missing on the 15 again. Gradley had to shoot from where the cue rested, and he made the 15, poaching another win to clinch the series at 2-0 despite getting out-possessed badly so far. Paige had a similar game 3, playing better toward the end only to err and give away the late possession to Gradley, who managed to make two shots in a row for the win this time, giving Gradley a 3-0 series sweep as he heads to the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Isabella v. Shannon. The red cue is back for a series of 7-ball between a rookie and a soon-to-retire veteran. Atlantic's Isabella did well to spread out the rack on the game 1 break, but Southern's Shannon never let her back to the table, as Shannon pieced together a table-clearing seven-ball run for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Shannon saw a very lateral break in game 2, and the Pirates' Isabella had a little success early on. Shannon answered with a five-ball run, but rattled the 7 out of the top side, and Isabella buried it in the bottom left for the win, which tied the series at 1. Game 3 saw a much more balanced contest, as Isabella was right in it until the end, but she missed on the 6, and Shannon made the last two shots for the win, taking the series 2-1 as well as she gets to the second round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Daisy v. Wings. Today's final series is in Rotation with the silver cue. Modernistic's Daisy battled hard in game 1 with Pearl's Wings, who played well at the start and held a tie late, but couldn't make it last. Daisy won with a four-ball run-out for the 8-5 win, giving her a 1-0 series lead with the strong finish. Game 2 was not an example of good game play, as neither player could score early on. The Surfers' Wings saw the Union's Daisy cover a couple of leads, but Wings was able to make the last two balls on separate turns, winning 8-6 to tie the series at 1 in a close battle so far. In game 3, things were even until the end, where Wings downed Daisy with a four-ball run-out to win 8-4, taking the series 2-1 as well to get to the second round.
That's all for today, and we'll be back tomorrow with more.
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