We're about 2/3 of the way through the round. If this post doesn't get completed on Friday, it should be finished on Saturday. No new pool on Saturday, but maybe some on Sunday if time permits. We begin with...
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Dewey v. Taylor Swift. A rookie and a star get us going with the blue cue in Accuracy. Game 1 seemed to be going well for Oceanside's Dewey, as he forced Eastside's Taylor into a couple of errors. Dewey got too comfortable though, and Taylor pounced when he faltered, with Taylor taking the 2-4 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Taylor had a nice lead for much of game 2, tempting the Waves' Dewey with a single miss in the middle that he couldn't capitalize on. Dewey slowly faded out of competition, and only a scratch on the last shot shrunk Taylor's win to 2-5, clinching the series for her at 2-0. Taylor had a good game 3, but she didn't close very well. Lucky for her, Dewey was not in range by the time she slipped up in her 3-5 win, sweeping the series 3-0. Taylor will be back here in the second round, taking on the other Waves rookie, Celestia.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Spot v. Kayla. The blue cue remains in action for this 15-ball series between a rookie and a veteran. Game 1 went very slowly, as neither player had enough command to dominate the game. Instead, they exchanged choppy turns until a missed kick on the 15 by Pronger's Spot allowed Royal's Kayla a tap-in for the win and a 1-0 series lead, which she converted easily. Game 2 saw frustrations rise even higher on both sides, most notably for the usually even-tempered Kayla of the Crowns. Kayla had good reason to be annoyed, missing many critical shots that could have helped her cause, including an easy shot on the 15. The Tridents' Spot showed enough poise to control himself to get the win, tying the series at 1 but with more trouble on the horizon in the deciding game. Game 3 seemed to see the players channel their frustrations into their shots, as it moved fairly fast. Spot had a good stretch of play in the middle, but by the end, it was a four-ball run-out for Kayla to give her the series at 2-1. Kayla will advance to the second round to play Bright of the North Modernistic Nighthawks at IBM Cathedral.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Sydney Sierota v. Gizmo. Northeastern rivals meet in a series of Accuracy, using the red cue this time. Harrison's Sydney and Central's Gizmo put on a duel to behold in game 1, neither missing until late in the game, when Gizmo fell behind. Sydney pulled off the requisite two shots remaining to seal her win at 0-1, and she went ahead 1-0 in the series as well. The Specters' Sydney fell behind in game 2 with a scratch on the break, but she managed to force the Warriors' Gizmo into a pair of misses later on, and she won 1-2 with a kick on the 13 to the bottom right. Sydney's remarkable pair of games clinched the series for her at 2-0. Sydney had a good game again in game 3, but she couldn't stay perfect at the end, as Gizmo induced a couple of misses. Sydney still took the win 2-4, advancing to the second round on a 3-0 sweep. Sydney is set to host Hannah of the Royal Crowns at this venue.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Prism v. Goatee. The blue cue is back for a 10-ball series between a rookie and a steady veteran. After an embarrassing stretch where each player missed the 3 from ball-in-hand at point-blank range, Stonebridge's Prism sat Westside's Goatee down with a five-ball run followed by a three-ball run-out. These statement runs gave Prism the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Prism made two balls from the break, and then made another pair on her next turn, winning as she played the cue off the 4 to tap the 10 into the top right after she left it there on the break. The Rockers' Goatee could only watch herself be eliminated as Prism clinched the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw Goatee take over early with a three-ball run before a close finish. Prism missed a 6-10 combination try, and Goatee spun the cue off the 6 to pot the 10 in the top right for the win. Prism won the series 2-1 anyway, and will host the Commerce Tradewinds' Lorde at this venue in the second round.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Dusky v. Stephanie Livilotti. The silver cue is finally back in action, playing Accuracy this time. Game 1 started out very well, but each player collapsed in play later. Southridge's Stephanie couldn't keep her late lead, and Archtown's Dusky did enough to force overtime, where she made a ball on the break. Stephanie had a chance to win but missed her shot, and Dusky took over from there until she won 4-5 for the 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Stephanie did a better job of keeping control of her shot in game 2, which paid off in the end with a tough bank of the 5 to the bottom right, which sealed her win over the Arrows' Dusky at 1-3. Stephanie's win tied the series at 1. Game 3 was a mess from the start, as each player had an early miss. It was a bit worse for Dusky, but Stephanie pulled even and all was quiet until the end, when Stephanie missed put Dusky in a tough position to grab the win. She couldn't, but Stephanie also missed, and Dusky won 4-5 to take the series 2-1. Dusky will host the Harrison Specters' Sugar in the second round at this venue.
Ebay Center, Queens: Max v. Rainmane. The silver cue remains in action for this Rotation series. Queens' Max ended up on the right side of a back-and-forth start to game 1. Midland's Rainmane had used a couple of caroms to pull ahead before Max executed on a three-ball run to regain the lead. Max made his last two shots, including a bank on the 10 to the top side, to win 8-4 and take a 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Rainmane showed determination even as the Flames' Max built up a sizeable lead in game 2. Rainmane was able to stay in the fight, and after some struggles with the 12, which she double-potted on a miracle three-rail bank with the 13, she finished a three-ball run-out to win 8-7, tying the series at 1. Rainmane had another good game in game 3, as Max had the early lead but made two errors that were punished relentlessly. Rainmane had a three-ball run for each error Max produced, which led to Rainmane winning 8-2 and taking the series 2-1. Rainmane is off to Pacific's Verizon Field Events Center to face the Volcanoes' Leonette in the second round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Valencia v. Tigerette. Two of the best players of their generations meet in Rotation with the blue cue. Golden's Valencia started just fine in game 1, but a pair of four-ball runs by Commerce's Tigerette gave her a 9-3 win. Tigerette's latter four-ball run-out featured double-pots of the 9 and 15 to the bottom right, and then the 10 to the top right and 13 to the bottom left. The always-feisty Pilots captain Valencia charged back to get the win in game 2, battling early on with the Tradewinds' Tigerette. Valencia broke free at the end with a three-ball run-out, claiming victory at 8-4 to tie the series at 1 and set up what should be a thrilling finish. Tigerette set the tone as she needed to in game 3, making a four-ball run after Valencia's break went empty. Valencia chased but never caught up, and Tigerette won 8-5 to take the series 2-1. Tigerette next heads to Boston's Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center to face the Swifts' Sweetheart, her close friend.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Solaris v. Sleepy B. The Torpedoes rookie meets an Arrows veteran in 12-ball with the red cue. Archtown's Sleepy B. had thought she won game 1 with a crazy bank on the 3 to the bottom side, but this was illegally potted, as she needed the top side. Infinity's Solaris nearly stole the game, but couldn't make contact on his last ball, and Sleepy B. pulled back to win for real, taking a 1-0 series lead as she drained the 3 correctly. The Arrows' Sleepy B. put up one of the best games of 12-ball ever seen, making a six-ball run-out from the break, with the only thing preventing her from getting a shutout was the wild-card ball she gave away on the break. The Torpedoes' Solaris had no chance as Sleepy B. secured the series at 2-0 with the epic run. Sleepy B. completed the sweep with a convoluted game 3 win over Solaris, in which neither player seemed to know where they were shooting half the time. Sleepy B. advances to the second round, where a road series in Maplewood's UPS Hall against the Lumberjacks' Diddley awaits her.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Lexi v. Bear. A newcomer to her team hosts the Shores captain in 12-ball with the silver cue after the break. Harrison's Lexi made a few good shots in game 1, but the start and the finish were all the work of Whitewater's Bear, as he carried himself forward for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Lexi showed a bit better in game 2, making a three-ball run early and then pacing her play well. The Shores' Bear was hot on her trail near the end, but Lexi slammed the door on her final shot to get the win, tying the series at 1. Lexi made a big play in game 3, setting herself up on the top side after picking out all the corners. Bear tried to push her aside, but he would later cover himself defensively, and Lexi made her last two shots from ball-in-hand to get the win. Lexi won the series 2-1, and will host her former teammate Midnight of the Westside Rockers in the second round at this venue.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Chicky Phil v. Slinks. Veterans in new places meet in Rotation with the red cue. Pacific's Chicky Phil had the edge in game 1 for awhile, but a soft call by the referee on illegal use of the stick gave Westside's Slinks ball-in-hand. She used it to run out the last five balls she needed for the 8-5 win, going ahead 1-0 in the series amid controversy. The Volcanoes' Chicky Phil had a much better game 2, building up a large lead. The Rockers' Slinks pulled close early on, but Chicky Phil pulled away, dominating the end game of an 8-3 win to tie the series at 1 with a grand performance. Chicky Phil absolutely leveled Slinks in game 3, as a slow start gave way to his eight-ball run-out for the 8-1 win. The key shot in this was a double-pot, as the cue struck the 4, bouncing up to take the 13 in the bottom right and then rolling with the 4 as it hit the 5 into the top left. Chicky Phil had full control from here, and advanced to host Puff I of the Modernistic Union in the second round at this venue.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Spirit v. Lorde. The red cue gets another dose of 12-ball here between a superstar and a sophomore. Commerce's Lorde had a good game 1, showing off both offense and defense against Lighton's Spirit, who couldn't win from her final ball. Lorde scratched a couple of times to clutter the table, then used the extra shots to get the win when she had Spirit buried on one of the two pockets she needed. Lorde leads the series 1-0 with the smart play. The Prestige's Spirit showed up with fire in game 2, calmly taking the top pockets first. She lulled her play a bit, allowing the Tradewinds' Lorde to make some progress, and then Spirit struck by making two balls and setting up her final shot. She made it two turns later, winning to tie the series at 1. Lorde had the hotter of starts in game 3, but she couldn't sustain it against a tough attack from Spirit, who gained position and held off Lorde's late bank attempt to get the win. Spirit took the series 2-1, and will host the Pronger Tridents rookie Spot in the second round at this venue.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Spirit v. Potter. The silver cue is back to end the day in 9-ball as the Prestige superstar makes it a doubleheader at home. Lighton's Spirit was overwhelmed quickly in game 1, as Pronger's Potter took advantage of her fatigue with a four-ball run and a three-ball run-out. Potter's dominant performance earned him the win for a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Tridents' Potter appeared to be ready to make a deep run, but he got cut short with four in a row as he missed on the 6. The Prestige's Spirit took it from here, working a four-ball run-out to pull even in the series at 1 with her win, setting up for an exciting finish. Spirit had a much better game 3, making a five-ball run from the break and then making the 9 after Potter came up short on a bank to end his three-ball run early. Spirit took the win and the 2-1 series win, advancing to the second round.
As I said above, no pool tomorrow, and at this point, likely not much on Sunday either, if any. Cricket should make a comeback this weekend.
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