We've got a standard day today, starting and ending in the afternoon. We begin with...
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Jasmine v. Roxy. An all-Cascades series opens the day with Rotation and the silver cue. Jasmine had the better of play in game 1, battling with Roxy at first before unleashing a late four-ball run-out for the 8-3 win. Jasmine's hot finish served her well, as she took a 1-0 series lead with the crafty set of shots. Game 2 saw a very slow start for both sides. Roxy pulled out to the early lead as Jasmine struggled a bit more from the poor break. Roxy nearly picked up a win a couple of times, but the final ball proved tricky for her, and Jasmine eventually rallied back with a four-ball run-out to win 8-7 and swipe a 2-0 series lead. Game 3 followed the game 2 pattern pretty closely. Roxy was first to break free after a slow start, but Jasmine made her response run a bit quicker. This proved to work poorly for Jasmine, as Roxy had enough time to recover and get the 8-7 win, cutting the series to 2-1. Game 4 saw a bit more creativity in the shooting, but also a fair amount of missed shots again. Jasmine pulled out to the early lead this time, but Roxy evened the game, and then rallied with a three-ball run-out to win 8-4 and tie the series at 2. Jasmine pulled back in a gritty game 5 performance, holding off Roxy multiple times at the end to pick up the 8-5 win and 3-2 series win. Jasmine advances to host the Pearl Surfers' Wings in the bracket quarterfinals.
Intel Center, Diamond: Citrus v. Dustin. The blue cue gets today's second series in 12-ball between a pair of stars. Diamond's Citrus had a rough start in game 1, but Central's Dustin didn't pull too far ahead. Each player made a short run to get onto their final ball, and then Dustin's scratch allowed Citrus to tap in her last shot for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Dustin had to be patient in game 2, as he didn't get the luckiest positioning in game 2. The Gems' Citrus tried to cruise through her rack, but one wild-card ball giveaway gave Dustin flexibility. At the end, Citrus' attempt at defense actually potted Dustin's last ball, giving him the win to tie the series at 1. Dustin had a good game 3 break, but he did give Citrus a wild-card ball, and she used the advantage in an interesting way. Citrus made as much as she could, and then gave the wild-card ball back to play positional defense. It almost worked, but a late missed contact allowed Dustin to make his final shot and win for the 2-1 series lead. Dustin played a thoughtful game 4, allowing Citrus to have fairly free roam initially. Dustin didn't have the better of the distribution, but he positioned himself well, and won a defensive battle at the left pockets to defeat Citrus in the end for a 3-1 series lead. Citrus had to fight for every inch in game 5, although it didn't seem as if Dustin did much beyond ill-advised defensive plays. Citrus eventually did win, cutting Dustin's series win to 3-2. Dustin will be on the road for the bracket quarterfinals.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Ruby v. Dominic. The Arrows star takes on the Meteors newcomer in 8-ball with the blue cue. Archtown's Ruby had to put in a resilient game 1, as Viewpoint Sound's Dominic had an answer for all her runs, and then made a three-ball run of tap-ins late. Ruby countered, double-potting the 13 and 9 to the bottom right, then taking the 8 at the top right to win and earn a 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Dominic had the hot start in game 2, putting the Arrows' Ruby on alert quickly. Ruby rallied all the way back in the game, but she couldn't pot the 8 before Dominic made a three-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Ruby charged forward in game 3 with a nice opening run, which Dominic mostly countered, and he installed a bit of defense as well. Ruby got through the defense at first, and then barrelled the 8 through the last bit of it on a bank to the top side for the win, which gave Ruby a 2-1 series lead. Dominic burst free of the slow style of play ruling the day by making a strong six-ball run-out in game 4, stunning Ruby with his steady and measured shots to grab the win. Dominic's burst tied the series again at 2. Ruby answered back in game 5, nearly doing the whole thing in one turn as she made a seven-ball run. Desperate, Dominic tried to mix offense and defense and ended with neither, as Ruby made the 8 and won the series 3-2. Ruby will host the Todavía Stills star Sierra in the bracket quarterfinals at this venue.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Juno v. Crystal. The 100th series of the round pits captains against each other in Rotation with the red cue. Queens' Crystal fell behind initially in game 1, as Stonebridge's Juno had an early surge. Juno tried to pull ahead again late, but Crystal fought this off, protecting her lead to win 8-6 for the 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Crystal started and ended game 2 the same way, with three-ball runs to bury the Wolves' Juno. Crystal had lulled a bit before her winning stretch of shots, but it worked to secure an 8-4 win and put her ahead 2-0 in the series. Game 3 saw Juno put in her best effort despite a slow start from Crystal's iffy break. Juno built up a lead, but Crystal fought back hard for a contested middle of the game. Juno gained the lead once again late, but a four-ball run-out from Crystal gave her the 8-6 win, allowing her to clinch the series at 3-0. Crystal had a decent start in game 4, but she couldn't keep her offense rolling throughout the appearance, and Juno eventually rallied enough to get the 8-5 win, cutting the series to 3-1. Crystal responded in a confident game 5 efforts, holding off many attacks from Juno to gain the 8-6 win and take the series at 4-1. Crystal doesn't know where she'll play, but she will be on the road in the bracket quarterfinals.
Ebay Center, Queens: Violetta v. Kayla. The Crowns newcomer returns to her former home to face the rookie that replaced her in 8-ball with the blue cue. Royal's Kayla had a good game 1, just outplaying Queens' Violetta at the end as the rookie had some mistakes of inexperience. Kayla capitalized on these with a run and a tap-in on the 8 for the win to go ahead 1-0 in the series. The Crowns' Kayla couldn't match her pace in game 2, and the Flames' Violetta used that to her advantage. Violetta kept a cluster intact at the head spot, and when Kayla shot at it, the 8 sneaked into the bottom right illegally. Kayla also scratched, adding insult to the injury of the loss that tied the series at 1 with Violetta's patient performance. Violetta had a strong break to start off game 3, and then a turn later produced a reckless four-ball run that also potted a pair of balls for Kayla. Violetta held steady, and Kayla couldn't do much offense on her own, so Violetta took her time before striking in the 8 for the win, taking a 2-1 series lead. Violetta made a five-ball run on her second turn of game 4, putting Kayla behind far and fast with the turn. Kayla tried to rally back, but she couldn't get close enough and set up Violetta nicely for her last two shots. Violetta converted both for the win, securing the series at 3-1. Violetta surged with a five-ball run early in game 5, but tapered off from here. Kayla struggled to have any offense at all before a late four-ball run, which led to Violetta making her last two shots for the win anyway. Violetta took the series 4-1, and will visit Infinity's Nissan Hall to play the Torpedoes' Solaris in the bracket quarterfinals.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Diddley v. Sleepy B. In the Northeast Division, the red cue will administer a series of 12-ball between proxies of the rival teams. Maplewood's Diddley didn't have much offense at the start as Archtown's Sleepy B. had a pretty nice go of things early on. She got onto her last ball, but that's where Diddley took over on a five-ball run-out, stealing the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Diddley made the best of a bad break with a three-ball run early in game 2. The Arrows' Sleepy B. pulled herself back into the game, but both players would struggle with positioning late in the game. Diddley eventually got ball-in-hand to make his last two shots, winning for a 2-0 series lead. Diddley fired off a great break in game 3, making two balls and not having to do much with positioning. Sleepy B. made five balls over two turns at one stretch of the game, leaving both players to shoot at the bottom left, but Sleepy B. missed twice before Diddley converted for the win, securing the series at 3-0. Sleepy B. fired back after Diddley produced another firm break in game 4, giving him all he could handle until he made illegal contact. Sleepy B. made her last two shots from ball-in-hand to win, cutting the series to 3-1. Diddley had a good start in game 5 as well, but he quickly got stuck in a bad position. Sleepy B. didn't try to help him, and when he got out of the bad spot, Sleepy B. struck to win the game. Diddley still took the series 3-2, advancing to the bracket quarterfinals.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Hoot v. Bianca. The red cue stays in action for some Accuracy. Southridge's Bianca spent much of game 1 just hanging onto a chance of forcing overtime, which came about as Viewpoint Sound's Hoot had a late scratch. Bianca then won 3-4 in overtime when she made a late-falling ball on her first shot of the extra rack. This gave her a 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Bianca had a more confident game 2 appearance, stumbling once to fall into a tie but taking over again as the Meteors' Hoot missed his next shot. Hoot flailed at the end of the game, allowing Bianca to hold true in a 1-5 win to take a 2-0 series lead. Bianca made a mess of game 3, allowing Hoot to come back all the way after having him down by three shots early in the game. Bianca's calm play allowed her to force at least overtime, but she scratched on the overtime break, and Hoot got the 5-6 win to cut the series to 2-1. Bianca fired back with one of her best games of the series, keeping pace with Hoot early on in a close and fast game. Hoot just slipped up on his last two shots, allowing Bianca to take the 1-3 win and clinch the series at 3-1. Hoot had a weak start in game 5, but Bianca once again allowed him to come back at the end, dropping into a late tie before Hoot won it on the first turn of overtime by a 4-5 score. Bianca did take the series 3-2, and will head home to GE Stadium Events Center in Southridge to host the Lighton Prestige's Salmo in the bracket quarterfinals.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Jennifer Livilotti v. Chelsea. The red cue ends the day with this fiery 10-ball series. Terrace City's Jennifer made two balls on the break and contributed well throughout game 1, but her aggressive shooting had downfalls. These were a scratch, missed contact, and illegally potting the 10, all of which helped Eastside's Chelsea take control and the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Chelsea needed only two shots for a four-ball run-out in game 2, making the 2 to the top left and 9 to the bottom right on the break before deflecting the cue off the 1 to pot the 10 to the top right while also sending the 7 to the bottom left. This stunning sequence gave her a 2-0 series lead over the Knights' Jennifer, who didn't get a chance to shoot in the game. Jennifer had more of the possession early in game 3, but this didn't last all that long. Jennifer got more reckless with her shooting, and Chelsea picked up the slack at the end for another win, enough to seal the series at 3-0. Jennifer had her chances in game 4, but kept possession fairly even once again. Chelsea's only mistake of the game was to miss on the 10 at the top right, but in a twist of fate, Jennifer missed it from point-blank range as she rushed her shot and sent the cue wide. Chelsea buried the 10 on the second try to make it a 4-0 series lead for herself. Chelsea seemed to make a few more shots than Jennifer in game 5, but the shot that mattered went wide, and Jennifer made no mistake to bury the 10 in the bottom right this time. Chelsea won the series 4-1, and will be on the road in the bracket quarterfinals.
That's it for today in pool. Maybe there will be cricket on Twitter @UnitedPCL later tonight, but I can make no guarantees to that.
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