Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Juno v. Spot. The red cue is up for Rotation between a sophomore captain and a rookie. Game 1 showed a lot of rust for both players. Stonebridge's Juno built up the early lead, but Pronger's Spot made it interesting late, slowly chipping his way back into the game. Juno capped the win at 8-6 after Spot missed the 14-15 combination, allowing Juno to go ahead 1-0 in the series. In game 2, the Wolves' Juno again jumped out to a nice lead, but the Tridents' Spot showed a bit more readiness to counter, tying the game faster and then winning with the last two shots for an 8-5 score. The series stands tied at 1 after Spot's comeback performance. Game 3 saw Juno gain an early lead once again, while Spot battled back and the two players tangled for much of the late stages until Juno made the last two balls to win 8-7, taking the series 2-1. Juno will host Crystal, the Queens Flames captain, in the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Klaus v. Stripes. Another rookie gets a series, facing a tough veteran in 9-ball with the blue cue. Game 1 went wonderfully, as Terrace City's Stripes had a confident four-ball run answered immediately by Atlantic's Klaus on a three-ball run. Stripes made the 8, but scratched on the 9, and Klaus tapped it in to win and take a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Knights' Stripes had the majority of possession early on, but she found herself dangerously close to taking the loss when the Pirates' Klaus had a three-ball run late in the game. Klaus left the 9 hanging at the bottom right, which Stripes tapped in to tie the series at 1 with her win. Stripes nearly had game 3 in her grips after leaving Klaus with no shot on his first turn. Stripes kicked the 3 into the 9, which nearly fell at the bottom right, but stayed standing, and Klaus made the 3-0 combination to win, taking the series 2-1 as well. Klaus hosts the Commerce Tradewinds' Lionel at this venue in the second round.
Ebay Center, Queens: Crystal v. Nikolai. The silver cue makes its daily debut in Accuracy between these fiery competitors. Freedom's Nikolai lost one lead in game 1 to Queens' Crystal, but he refused to be denied a second time, holding on until the very end to get the 2-3 win and take a 1-0 series lead as Crystal couldn't quite recover in the end. Game 2 saw both players perfect through regulation, with the Cascades' Nikolai making a ball on the break to give the Flames' Crystal the overtime break. Nikolai and Crystal each missed early in overtime, and then Crystal missed a turn after a double-pot, and Nikolai sealed the 1-2 win that clinched the series for him at 2-0. Game 3 wasn't quite the same spectacle, but two late misses by Nikolai cost him the game, as Crystal held firm with only one miss to win 1-2 and take a game. Nikolai won the series 2-1, and advances to visit Leonette of the Volcanoes at Pacific's Verizon Field Events Center in the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shiny v. Frosty. The silver cue stays in action for Rotation between these veterans. Stonebridge's Frosty had a step on Web City's Shiny for the first half of game 1, and Frosty made this really count when she executed a four-ball run-out after Shiny's missed attempt on the 7. Frosty won 8-3, taking a 1-0 series lead with the hot finish. The Wolves' Frosty didn't get a great break in game 2, but it ended up working out well for her, as she gained a big lead early on. The Spiders' Shiny made some progress to counter, but her final shot set up the 10-14 combination, and Frosty made that and the next shot to win 8-4, clinching the series at 2-0. Frosty stalled out a bit late in game 3, holding a large lead that Shiny was unable to match at any point. Frosty needed time to make her last shots, taking the game 8-3 to sweep the series 3-0. Frosty heads to Honda Driftwood Coliseum in Pearl to face the Surfers' Wings in round two.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Ms. Puppy. Captains clash in 8-ball, another series for the silver cue. Pacific's Starlight fell behind early in game 1, as Modernistic's Ms. Puppy seemed to have a better start. Starlight flipped the script on a five-ball run, and Ms. Puppy couldn't answer, so Starlight sent the 8 to the top right for the win, earning a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Union's Ms. Puppy pulled out to the early lead again, only to have the Volcanoes' Starlight pull even. Ms. Puppy then converted a four-ball run-out to shut Starlight down, earning the win that tied the series at 1. Starlight had to establish herself quickly in game 3, but it almost went poorly, as Ms. Puppy had a four-ball run end in a scratch. Another scratch near the end of the game doomed Ms. Puppy, and Starlight made the 8 for the win and a 2-1 series win. Starlight will host the Terrace City Knights' Jennifer in the second round.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Stealth v. Snowball. A veteran hosts his own captain in this all-Blades series of 7-ball with the silver cue. Snowball had the better of play in a very close game 1, as Stealth made a few shots but couldn't string any together and left the 7 for Snowball. She buried it in the bottom right, going ahead 1-0 in the series. Game 2 went a bit quicker, as Stealth's scratch early on allowed Snowball to make a couple of shots. Stealth redeemed himself with a three-ball run-out to take the win and tie the series at 1, leaving this sibling battle to be decided in the final game. Game 3 was quite the challenge for both sides, as they each took cautious shots to keep themselves in the fight. Stealth ended up with the win when Snowball couldn't finish a run, leaving the 7 standing. Stealth won the series 2-1, and will host Bright of the North Modernistic Nighthawks in the second round. Stealth also recorded his first kill of the year, as Snowball is the second player to be eliminated from Tournament play.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Snuggle v. Mams. The Coastal Division gets a spotlight as the Waves and Meteors captains meet in 9-ball with the silver cue. Oceanside's Snuggle had a nervy finish in game 1, as Viewpoint Sound's Mams put up a three-ball run but couldn't quite make the 9, and Snuggle came in to tap it in for the win, taking a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Snuggle didn't get off so easy in game 2, as the Meteors' Mams made sure to win on a three-ball run-out when given the chance. Mams converted the 8-9 combination to the top right after missed contact by Snuggle gave her ball-in-hand. The play tied the series at 1, setting up a decisive game. Snuggle had a slow start in game 3, leading to Mams nearly making the 1-9 combination early on. Snuggle countered with a three-ball run, and this all led to a long fight on the 9, which Mams eventually won to take the series 2-1. Mams will head to Lighton to face the Prestige's Spirit at Pepsi Arena in the second round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Daisy v. Cobalt. Rookies go at it as the silver cue continues its reign with another 9-ball series. Stonebridge's Cobalt had a great game, making a six-ball run and catching Modernistic's Daisy napping on her poor shot at the 8. Cobalt then made the last two balls for the win, a well-earned 1-0 series lead being his reward. The Wolves' Cobalt couldn't replicate the success he had in the previous game, as the Union's Daisy stole the spotlight this time. A better performance from Daisy ended with her three-ball run-out, which itself ended on the 7 being used to direct the cue into a bank on the 9 to the top right for the equalizing win, tying the series at 1. Daisy looked to have a dominant performance in game 3, making seven of nine balls over her three turns, but she missed on the 9, and Cobalt tapped it in to steal the win and the 2-1 series win. Cobalt heads to the second round, where he heads to Boston's Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center for a series with the Swifts' Sweetheart. Cobalt also picked up his first kill of the year, while Daisy is the third player eliminated so far.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Cheddar v. Niki. The blue cue returns for 10-ball in this series. North Modernistic's Cheddar had a great break in game 1, and kept Eastside's Niki at bay for much of game 1. Niki challenged late on the 10, but Cheddar eventually wrangled it to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Cheddar had a more subtle offense in game 2, but it worked just as well against the Sharks' Niki, who could only watch after an ineffective mid-game performance. Cheddar rallied for a four-ball run-out, cutting the 7 around the 10 before getting the rest through good positioning to secure the series at 2-0. In game 3, Niki had a four-ball run over the middle, but couldn't sustain her offense through the end of the game, as Cheddar pushed back and eventually got the win with some smart shooting late. Cheddar swept the series 3-0, and will host the Atlantic Pirates captain Delila in the second round at this venue. Niki is the fourth player eliminated from the tournament, while Cheddar has her first kill of the year.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Strut v. Americus. The blue cue stays in action for a series of Accuracy. Game 1 was pretty close overall, as Golden's Strut fell behind early but Atlantic's Americus brought it even until the end. Americus induced a pair of late misses by Strut, giving Americus the 1-3 win and a 1-0 series lead with the savvy shooting. The Pirates' Americus wasted two separate leads in game 2, allowing the Pilots' Strut back into a game where he had mostly been outplayed. Americus eventually left him with a terrible shot on the final ball, and Strut obliged her by missing, allowing Americus to tap it in for the 3-4 win and 2-0 series lead. Game 3 saw Americus fade from the pace she had set earlier on, but just enough to force an overtime, where Strut's soft break left an easy shot for Americus. She won 3-4, taking the series in a 3-0 sweep, and she'll go to Eastside's FedEx Arena to face the Sharks captain Chelsea in the second round.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Gizmo v. Twinkie I. Two players known more for support on Reality meet in 10-ball with the silver cue. Lighton's Twinkie I had a four-ball run in game 1, asserting herself on offense quite efficiently, but things cooled from there until she scratched. Central's Gizmo chose to finish honorably, making the 9 and 10 separately to earn the win instead of on a combination, and he leads the series 1-0. In game 2, the roles reversed, with the Warriors' Gizmo playing the better game on a couple of mid-game runs, only to see unfortunate shooting allow the Prestige's Twinkie I to make the last two balls for the win, tying the series at 1. Things were pretty even in game 3, at least in the early going. Neither player had any dominance until Twinkie I shut the door with a four-ball run-out, earning the win and a 2-1 series win with the effort. Twinkie I advances to the second round.
Apple Center, Todavía: Easter v. Sally. Today's finale is in 7-ball with the red cue coming back from its long break. Archtown's Sally left game 1 visibly upset, wasting a three-ball run with a late miss on the 7 from tap-in range. The embarrassing blunder allowed Todavía's Easter to take the win and a 1-0 series lead, however unearned it may be. Game 2, once it got going, was over with in a hurry, as the Stills' Easter saw a four-ball run end in a scratch, and the Arrows' Sally countered with a three-ball run-out, taking her win confidently this time to tie the series at 1. Sally doubled down immediately, winning the series in game 3 as she drilled the break to make the 7 in the top side. Sally won the series 2-1, advancing to face the Union's Ms. Puppy at Google Hall in Modernistic in the second round.
That's all for the pool action today. We'll be back with a post on Wednesday, but live updates from tomorrow's half-session will be on Twitter
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