We close another week of Tournament play with a full slate of games, hopefully. We begin with...
Sprint Hall, Victoria: B. Chapman v. Ms. Puppy. A Spurs veteran takes on the Union captain in 9-ball with the blue cue to lead off today. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy had a good stretch at the end, defeating Victoria's Chapman with a pair of three-ball runs to close the game. Ms. Puppy leads the series 1-0 after the dominant shooting display. The Union's Ms. Puppy didn't have the same influence on game 2 of the series, as the Spurs' Chapman brought a much-improved effort. Chapman did scratch to end a three-ball run, and Ms. Puppy took the win with the last two balls from ball-in-hand to clinch the series at 2-0. Ms. Puppy seemed to be shooting just fine in game 3, but it didn't hold up against a double-pot by Chapman, who won with the 7 in the bottom right and the 9 all the way in the bottom left. Ms. Puppy took the series 2-1, and will travel to Freedom's Toyota Arena to face the Cascades' Stinky in the second round.
Ebay Center, Queens: Violetta v. Starlight. A marquee Accuracy match is up with the red cue between the rookie and superstar. Pacific's Starlight didn't get rattled by Queens' Violetta making three balls on the break. Starlight played a steady game, while Violetta missed a couple of simple shots due to jitters, allowing Starlight to win 1-2 for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was far less elegant for each player, although it was worse for the Flames' Violetta, who started missing early on and couldn't hold a tie at the end. The Volcanoes' Starlight had a few lucky shots in the game, helping her to a 4-6 win that clinched the series at 2-0. Starlight struggled in the end of game 3, squandering a brief lead to Violetta, who sealed the 5-6 win with her second attempt on the final ball. Starlight took the series 2-1, advancing to face the Warriors' Mario at Nestle's Warriors Hall in Central in the second round.
Samsung Whitewater Stadium, Whitewater: Bear v. Ms. Kitty. Another Volcano is on the road in this 7-ball series against the Shores captain, with the red cue in play. Whitewater's Bear didn't even need two whole minutes in game 1, running the table from the break to the end for a 1-0 series lead while Pacific's Ms. Kitty could only watch. Game 2 went a very different way from game 1, as the Shores' Bear only had a three-ball run late in the game amid a cluster of misses. The Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty was barely any better than her opponent, and she still needed two chances on the 7 to get the win, tying the series at 1 after a poor showing. Bear just about had game 3, but his late run ended at three balls when his backswing was interrupted by a wall and his shot jittered. Ms. Kitty missed on the 7 as well, but Bear scratched when he made it on his second try, gifting the win and the 2-1 series to Ms. Kitty. She will head off to Kraft Forum in Royal in the second round, facing the Crowns captain Nightfur.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Princess v. Dusky. The silver cue gets its first look today in this 15-ball series between veterans. Archtown's Dusky played the better game 1, particularly in the late going, where Tysini's Princess couldn't seem to make a shot. Dusky had a three-ball run and then made the last two balls on a later turn to take the 1-0 series lead with her gritty win. The Arrows' Dusky continued to play a similar style in game 2, but the effort didn't weather the game very well. Near the end, the Hummingbirds' Princess gained a grip, and she would win with a three-ball run-out on the next turn, tying the series at 1 as she banked the 15 to the bottom right for a highlight finish. Princess took her time in game 3, losing a bit of ground in the middle to Dusky before Princess unleashed an eight-ball run-out with brilliant and subtle positioning. Princess' big win earned her the series at 2-1, and she'll host another Arrow, the captain Ruby, in the second round at this venue.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Oreo v. Panda. The blue cue gets another series in 10-ball between these veterans. Terrace City's Oreo had a decent game 1, but it really picked up after Southern's Panda miscalled the 5. Oreo took over possession from this point, and would win with a four-ball run-out, giving the host a 1-0 series lead with the smart decision. The Knights' Oreo played a pretty even game 2 with the Monarchs' Panda, who just had a miss on the 6, setting up Oreo for a three-ball run-out. Oreo's late game prowess has earned her the series at 2-0. Oreo made the wrong decision at the end of game 3, choosing to defer possession to Panda after he illegally potted the 4. Panda then made the 5, and used the 6 to deflect the cue into the 10, which dropped at the top right as Panda called it for the win. Oreo took the series 2-1, and will host Maplewood Lumberjacks captain Fluffina in the second round at this venue.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Shaggy v. Marsell. The two Shores newcomers meet in 12-ball with the silver cue, with plenty to prove. Marsell made game 1 very difficult on himself despite holding the better positions and two wild-card balls from Shaggy's impatient play. Marsell gave one back, and still saw Shaggy get to her last ball before he was able to win from ball-in-hand for the 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was quicker for both sides, as Marsell rattled off a three-ball run to get back into the game after Shaggy experienced early success. Marsell's run ended in illegal contact, and Shaggy had a three-ball run-out from here for the win, tying the series at 1. In game 3, Shaggy went empty on her break, allowing Marsell to pace the play early on. Marsell had a somewhat disjointed performance, especially as he defended a pocket too closely and Shaggy was willing to work the game forward to that point. In the end, Marsell couldn't recover, and Shaggy took the win for a 2-1 series win. Shaggy is on to hosting Boston Swifts stalwart Gradley in the second round at this venue.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Cheddar v. Whiskers. These two supporting-role veterans tangle in 15-ball with the silver cue. North Modernistic's Cheddar had a pretty decent game 1, battling hard with Infinity's Whiskers in the early going before Cheddar got clear on a four-ball run-out for the win. Cheddar leads the series 1-0 after a tough performance. The Torpedoes' Whiskers had intended to end game 2 early with a 3-15 combination to the bottom right, but it didn't work that way. Instead, she defeated the Nighthawks' Cheddar after a frenzied start with a 3-15 kick combination to the bottom left, tying the series at 1 with the cheeky shot. Cheddar redeemed herself in another sloppy game 3, capitalizing in the end as Whiskers found herself unable to sink the 15. Cheddar's win made it a 2-1 series, and Cheddar will host Royal Crowns captain Nightfur in the second round at this venue.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Prism v. Twinkie II. A rookie takes on a captain in the red cue's last 12-ball series of the round. Stonebridge's Prism had an easy time in game 1, making a four-ball run as the highlight of her game. Harrison's Twinkie II thought she had Prism's last shot defended, but Prism made a good cut to get the 5 in the top left for the win around the 13, giving her a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Prism thought her game 2 break would be better than it was, but it gave a wild-card ball to the Specters' Twinkie II. Twinkie II used it to great advantage, using a three-ball run to get close to a win and then patiently picking her shot for the series-tying victory. Game 3 started with excellence from both players, as each made a four-ball run. Positioning followed, and then Prism nearly won, only denied by a scratch on her last shot. Twinkie II had a chance to win, but she also missed her final ball, and Prism banked in the winner from distance to the bottom left to take the series 2-1. Prism hosts the Freedom Cascades' Roxy in the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Bryant v. Charli XCX. After a break, the blue cue gets a crack at 12-ball.This break lasted all the way to Sunday, which serves as a make-up day for the lack of games on Friday. Maplewood's Bryant had a great break, making three balls, and with the help of two missed contact plays by Tysini's Charli, Bryant wrapped the game up in three turns for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw the Hummingbirds' Charli start well, but falter in the later stages of the game. A couple of bad misses were followed by a scratch, and the Lumberjacks' Bryant took over from here with a three-ball run-out from the kitchen. Bryant's win secured him the series at 2-0. Game 3 was a bit more tense between Bryant and Charli, but Bryant got favorable positioning at the end, and Charli couldn't pull off a jump shot, so Bryant tapped in his last ball to make it a 3-0 series sweep. Bryant advances to host the Terrace City Knights' Oreo in the second round.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Missy v. Spirit. The blue cue remains in action for some 10-ball. Capital City's Missy had a good break in game 1, and while Lighton's Spirit shot well early in the game, she faded late, ceding ground to Missy, who ended her win in a three-ball run-out, good enough to put her ahead with a 1-0 series lead. The Sharpshooter's Missy again produced a good break in game 2, but slipped in the mid-game battle with the Prestige's Spirit before they finished with a tense exchange of shots. Spirit had a chance at the 10, but left it short at the top right, and Missy's tap-in secured the series at 2-0 with her win. Game 3 was all Missy, as she started with a five-ball run that seemed to shake Spirit, and then she out-played Spirit in the later stages. Missy's win made it a 3-0 series sweep, sending her to the second round, where she hosts Oceanside Waves rookie Dewey.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Zach v. Stinky. An Eastern Hills Division battle is next, as the blue cue remains in play for 12-ball. Pronger's Zach was seemingly doomed from the start when he gave up a wild-card ball on the break and couldn't make a run. Freedom's Stinky enjoyed the flexibility for his shots, and he had a decent game, not dominating but doing enough for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Stinky had a tough game 2, getting a ball on the break but leaving a ball in defense at the top left a bit too long. The Tridents' Zach gave it away as a wild-card ball, but Stinky couldn't get position on his other shots, and Zach won with a tap-in on the next turn, tying the series at 1. Zach wasted no time in winning the series 2-1 in game 3, taking all six balls from the break as well as giving away a wild-card ball to Stinky on the break itself. Stinky did receive the chance to force a draw, but he couldn't run the table, and Zach's win was official. Zach will host the Tysini Hummingbirds' Brownie in the second round at this venue.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Spot v. Zach. All Zach has to do is switch jerseys to his white one to face rookie Pronger Tridents teammate Spot in 8-ball with the blue cue, the last series of this post. Spot had a better game 1, mostly through holding the advantageous positions on the table. Zach struggled to get around Spot's defense, typically removing it for him, and Spot took this boost to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. Spot had an unusual foul called against him in game 2, as he touched a slow-rolling ball on the break. Zach answered with a four-ball run from there, and then Spot had a four-ball run that ended in a scratch. Zach got onto the 8 from here, but couldn't sink it, and Spot won with a four-ball run-out for the win in a strange game that clinched the series at 2-0 for Spot. Spot seemed to have everything falling his way in a run-fueled game 3, but he chipped the 8 short at the top right, and Zach tapped it in for the win to make it a 2-1 series. Spot advances to host fellow rookie Luigi of the North Modernistic Nighthawks in the second round.
We'll be back for a standard or larger day of games tomorrow. Cricket may come around tonight or tomorrow based on activities tonight.
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