This is a shorter day on the schedule due to personal commitments. We will have just 40 games today, including one morning series, which is...
Ford Forum, Pronger: Spot v. Juno. We're underway with an Eastern Hills Divisional in 9-ball with the blue cue. Pronger's Spot had the better performance in game 1, making a four-ball run as the highlight of his effort. Stonebridge's Juno had a couple of chances late, but she missed on the 9, and Spot turned it in for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Spot didn't have as good of a start to game 2, playing evenly with the Wolves' Juno for awhile as both players settle into the series. Spot did show up well in the end, breaking out with a four-ball run-out for the win to push his series lead to 2-0. In game 3, Juno turned from desperate to dominant, as Spot didn't have much beyond making a ball on the break. Juno rattled off a four-ball run at one point, and after Spot missed the 8, Juno came back to sink the 8 and kick the 9 to the top left for the win, cutting the series to 2-1. Juno had a sloppy performance in game 4, with a lackluster break followed by a scratch after making the 3 in an attempt to gain good positioning. Spot took over from here with a six-ball run-out for the win, clinching the series at 3-1 with the dominant stretch. Game 5 saw Spot try to start out well, and he did make a few shots, but a miss on the 4 allowed Juno to storm forward with a five-ball run-out to pick up the win. Spot took the series 3-2 to advance to the bracket semifinals, where he visits the Spiders' Dani at Web City's Home Depot Forum. After winning two of their three series this year, Spot got the kill on Juno, his third of the year, to make her the 46th player eliminated.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Goldy v. Hughbert. A venue doubleheader begins the afternoon, with the red cue in 9-ball for the first series. Southridge's Hughbert proved quite opportunistic in game 1, making the 3-9 combination to end a three-ball run-out after Everton's Goldy couldn't capitalize on leaving the 9 so close to the bottom right. Hughbert holds a 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Hughbert nearly made the 9 on the break in game 2, but he also left it near the bottom right. The Eagles' Goldy made the 1, but the 2 was a struggle for both players. Hughbert got the win as Goldy glanced the cue off the 5 on a kick, hitting the 9 in illegally to push Hughbert to a 2-0 series lead. Hughbert didn't have as lively of a break in game 3, and Goldy did much better to get herself organized in this game. The game went the distance, with each player making a three-ball run before Goldy struck late to get the win and cut the series to 2-1. In game 4, Goldy didn't have the most confident appearance in her shots. She left a lot on the table, including a miss on the 9 that gave Hughbert the second chance he needed to get the win and clinch the series at 3-1. Goldy turned up the pace again in game 5, working well early on to keep Hughbert on the perimeter, and then piecing together a three-ball run-out capped by a glancing shot off the 8 to bank the 9 into the top right. Hughbert did win the series 3-2 to advance to the bracket semifinals, which will be another road series for the rookie.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Puff III v. Sydney Sierota. The blue cue is back in this series, ready for 15-ball to close the venue doubleheader. Everton's Puff III had a rough break in game 1, but she found a way to make the best of it, holding the upper hand for most of the game against Harrison's Sydney. Things got closer at the end, but Puff III made the 15 when Sydney couldn't cut it in the bottom side, and Puff III pulled out to a 1-0 series lead. The Eagles' Puff III made a ball on a much better break in game 2, and continued to pace the play until the middle of the game. The 8 proved very tricky, and after it, the Specters' Sydney had a little more offense, but Puff III once again potted the 15 on her only try to move to a 2-0 lead in the series. Game 3 saw a bit more of the same, with Puff III doing well early on and Sydney picking up the pace later. Puff III couldn't complete her planned run late in the game, and Sydney made the last two balls for the win to cut the series to 2-1. Puff III had a harder time at the start of game 4, although she still paced play as Sydney struggled. Puff III looked to be surging late with a four-ball run, but it wouldn't stick, as Sydney picked up three of the last four balls to get the win, tying the series at 2. Puff III had a chance to get the win in a tight and toughly contested game 5, but she missed on the 15 twice. The second chance Sydney received proved to be what worked, as she picked up the full comeback win for a 3-2 series win. Sydney will continue her Northeastern tour with a trip to UPS Hall in Maplewood to meet the Lumberjacks' Diddley in the bracket semifinals.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Dustin v. Fluffina. Two of the Northeast's brightest stars clash in 10-ball with the blue cue. Central's Dustin did good work in game 1, dominating possession with a five-ball run from the break, and then adding a three-ball run-out at the end to beat Maplewood's Fluffina handily for the 1-0 lead in the series. The Warriors' Dustin didn't have the dominating performance again in game 2, instead playing even with the Lumberjacks' Fluffina initially. Fluffina had a couple of swipes at the 10 near the bottom right, but the first didn't connect and the latter was wiped out by illegal contact and a scratch. Dustin ended the game with the 6-10 combination to the bottom right from ball-in-hand to take a 2-0 series lead. Game 3 saw Dustin try to get off to a good start again, but his break was empty and Fluffina built up her confidence with a few early shots made. Dustin pushed again toward the end of the game, but his scratch on the 9 allowed Fluffina to make the last two balls from ball-in-hand for the win to make it a 2-1 series. Game 4 saw Dustin rebound a bit early on, but neither player took a grip on the game, settling to exchange shots throughout. At the end, Fluffina had a chance to win with her shot on the 10, but she went with a bank instead of a cut and missed wide. Dustin mopped it up to get the win, clinching the series at 3-1. Dustin had a majority of the possession in game 5 as well, but this time, he had a late miss that led Fluffina to make the 10 in the end. Dustin took the series 3-2, earning the right to host another series in the bracket semifinals.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Twinkie III. The red cue is back now, playing Rotation between these stars. Pacific's Starlight had a good start in game 1, but Whitewater's Twinkie III matched her shot for shot at first before a three-ball run set the visitor ahead. The ending was similarly close, but Twinkie III pulled away to win 8-5 and earn a 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Starlight again struck first in game 2, but it didn't hold up at all against the barrage of a six-ball run by the Shores' Twinkie III. Starlight did fire back with a five-ball run later in the game, but it would be just a bit too short of a run. Twinkie III made her next shot for the 8-6 win to go ahead 2-0 in the series. Starlight thought that another big run from Twinkie III had sunk her series, and Starlight then missed the 10, but Twinkie III also missed what would have been the clinching ball. Starlight ignited with the opportunity, rallying on a five-ball run-out to win 8-7 and get the series to 2-1. Despite playing well early in game 4, Starlight again found herself on the brink with a chance to make a run all the way back. Twinkie III's miss on the 9 opened the door for Starlight, but she would miss the 12 later and fall 8-5 as Twinkie III clinched the series at 3-1. Game 5 followed the familiar pattern, as Twinkie III stormed forward to a lead before easing off a bit, allowing Starlight to assemble a halfhearted rally before Twinkie III shut the door again at 8-6 for the 4-1 series win. Twinkie III will have another road series on the docket in the bracket semifinals.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca v. Salmo. Rookies are ready to go in Accuracy with the red cue. Southridge's Bianca put on quite the show in game 1, playing her game to perfection while also leaving Lighton's Salmo in bad positions. The visitor couldn't dream to keep up, missing frequently in the middle as Bianca took an 0-5 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Bianca couldn't keep up the perfect routine throughout game 2, but she never fell behind against the Prestige's Salmo. By the time Bianca missed for the first time, Salmo was already behind, and he couldn't pull even later on, eventually dropping the game 2-4 as Bianca takes a 2-0 lead in the series. Game 3 was a lot closer, as neither player really had any intentions of missing. Bianca was the first to fall, but she stayed composed and managed to get Salmo to miss the last ball as well, tying the game to force overtime. Here, Salmo's break and second shots both potted nothing, and Bianca got the win with her shot on the 14 to the bottom right, a 2-3 result to clinch the series at 3-0. In game 4, the players followed a similar pattern to game 3, but each player missed one extra shot in regulation. Overtime saw Bianca have the break this time, and Salmo prevailed 3-4 on his second shot to cut the series to 3-1 after another sloppy overtime performance from both sides. Bianca didn't have a great appearance in game 5, packing it in after securing the series as she watched Salmo dominate in a 1-3 win that made it a 3-2 series. Bianca will travel in the bracket semifinals, visiting the Specters' Sydney at Mercedes-Benz Forum in Harrison. Salmo's decent rookie campaign comes to an end as the 47th player eliminated, and Bianca has her first career kill in the effort.
Ford Forum Pronger: Zach v. Oreo. The blue cue wraps up its day with a series of 12-ball. Pronger's Zach had a good start in game 1, and while it took him some time to get positioning on his later shots, he did better than Terrace City's Oreo. The visitor Oreo faltered from not getting positioning to not even making contact, gifting Zach free shots at his last two balls as Zach won for a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Zach didn't get as good of a start in game 2, instead watching a four-ball run from the Knights' Oreo pace the early part of the game. Oreo crashed out with two scratches, and she gave Zach a wild-card ball as she clawed back into the game. This added flexibility tipped the scales to Zach, who won from ball-in-hand after Oreo missed contact on the 2. Zach now has a 2-0 series lead. Game 3 saw Oreo again make an early run, this time going three balls along the bottom rail, but she committed a scratch and illegally potted her last ball later in the game, allowing Zach to get positioning and a long shot on the final ball to pick up the win. Zach converted, going ahead 3-0 in the series. Oreo had her most composed game of the series in game 4, shooting well and even finding decent positioning. She had Zach out of position near the end, but the host managed to make two incredible shots for the win, moving to a 4-0 series lead against the odds. Zach had a terrific break in game 5, scattering the rack and getting himself lined up quickly, but he couldn't sustain a run. Oreo did just enough defensively to hold him off at his last pocket, and when he missed contact late, Oreo made a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand to get the win. Zach still took the series 4-1 to move to the bracket semifinals. Zach had his first kill of the year in this series, as Oreo is the 48th player to be eliminated.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shadow v. Blizzard. The red cue closes out the day with 9-ball in this series between club-mates. Web City's Shadow appeared to have a handle on game 1 at first, but as the game progressed, he lost ground to Everton's Blizzard. It took Blizzard two tries to make the 9, but she did it for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 went the other way, as the Eagles' Blizzard had a great break and two good turns after it, but the Spiders' Shadow pulled back into the game to keep things interesting. Shadow missed his shot on the 8, but left Blizzard with no clear shot, and she fired a reckless ball that illegally potted the 9 at the bottom right to give Shadow the win that tied the series at 1. Game 3 pushed the series to a more frenetic pace, as Shadow took a three-ball run from the break, Blizzard answered on a four-ball run that almost went deeper, and Shadow made the last two balls for the win to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Shadow had a great start again, with a three-ball run from the break, but disaster struck him with an illegally potted ball on the 4, as his jump shot grazed the 7 before landing. Blizzard took over and promptly won with a five-ball run-out, tying the series again at 2. Shadow had all of the possession in game 5, a fact that would be to his detriment when his four-ball run ended with him illegally potting the 9 in the bottom right to give the game and the series, 3-2, to Blizzard. The Eagles' Blizzard will visit another Northeastern opponent, the Archtown Arrows' Dusky, in the bracket semifinals at Starbucks Arena.
That's all for today's games. We may only play 40 tomorrow, or potentially 50, depending on energy.
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