We've got a new day of games, tentatively scheduled for 50 games today. First up in the morning is...
House of 10 Windows, Del Sur: Hoppy v. Watermelon. We've got a Coastal Divisional in 15-ball with the red cue to begin the day. Game 1 saw quite a bit of pace for both players, but Southern's Hoppy slipped up a bit later on in the game. Pearl's Watermelon capitalized with a seven-ball run, and then she made the last two balls for the win on her next turn, giving Watermelon a 1-0 series lead. The good play evaporated before game 2 got going, with the Surfers' Watermelon putting in a decent break but finding herself unable to connect well on shots. The Monarchs' Hoppy had a late burst with a four-ball run, but nearly lost the game twice with dangerous misses on the 15. Watermelon also missed, and Hoppy eventually struck the 15 to the top side for the win, tying the series at 1. Hoppy pulled ahead in the series at 2-1 after an eventful game 3 win. She played well, getting her shots knocked down in pairs while Watermelon faltered a bit more often in the hybrid of the first two games. Hoppy definitely deserved the win as she controlled the second half of the game. Hoppy continued to have an edge in possession in game 4, especially toward the end, where she countered a three-ball run from Watermelon with five balls over two turns. This stretch of play ended in a scratch from Hoppy, and Watermelon put the 15 in the top right from ball-in-hand for the win, retying the series at 2. Hoppy continued to pile on the possession in game 5, making the best of Watermelon's iffy break. Watermelon had a couple of errors in the middle of the game, but it was just a simple miss that ignited Hoppy's seven-ball run-out for the win and the 3-2 series win. Hoppy next travels to Verizon Field Events Center in Pacific to meet the Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty in the bracket semifinals.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Jasmine v. Debby Ryan. Two reliable captains meet in the next series, 12-ball with the silver cue. Southridge's Debby had a great start in game 1, striking a three-ball run before a scratch stalled her. Freedom's Jasmine answered with a similar situation, also scratching, and then the battle for positioning began. Debby got the upper hand and made a three-ball run-out after a great bank on the 15 got her position on the 10 and 12, giving Debby the 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Debby had a three-ball run on the break, but a scratch derailed the effort. The Cascades' Jasmine had to bust a cluster to get her shots free, double-potting on that shot but struggling throughout the game. Debby quickly had another three-ball run and narrowly missed her last ball, which she made on the next turn for the win and a 2-0 series lead. Debby had a bit too much on her break, making two solids in the bottom side and a stripe at the top right. She took solids, and had a fast stretch to get onto her last ball, but Jasmine defended the last pocket well. Debby couldn't make contact after Jasmine scratched to return the wild-card ball, and Jasmine used the ball-in-hand for a four-ball run-out, getting the win to make it 2-1 after the smart shooting. Jasmine didn't make a ball on the break in game 4, but she kept the pace of the game high with dangerous shooting. Debby also made a few balls, but Jasmine was faster, striking her last two down for the win to tie the series at 2. Game 5 had it all, with Jasmine giving up a wild-card ball but still holding her own. Debby charged up well, but was out of position on her last ball, leading to a tense exchange of set-up shots that saw Debby just make her last ball in time. Debby won the series 3-2, advancing to a road series in the bracket semifinals at Whitewater's Samsung Arena against the Shores' Shaggy. Jasmine sees her good season come to an end as the 59th player eliminated from the Tournament, while Debby has her second kill of the year.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Lexi v. Puff II. Following that, more 12-ball with the silver cue is next. Harrison's Lexi made two balls on the break in game 1, setting the tone for the game, which saw Boston's Puff II left wanting for better positioning. Lexi didn't have the quickest performance, but she did enough to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Lexi had a much weaker break in game 2, leading to congestion on the table until the Swifts' Puff II broke up a couple of clusters. Lexi made a couple of her shots, but she couldn't sustain the offense, and Puff II came through with a four-ball run-out to get the win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 saw Puff II with a very firm break, and she had played well throughout, even controlling things late. Lexi had different plans, making a pair of shots on each of her last two turns to steal the win with the crafty shooting. Lexi's good sequence gave her a 2-1 series lead. Puff II made the best of game 4 with a three-ball run after the break, and some improbably good positioning for later. Lexi unintentionally played defense, and then accidentally removed it on her next turn, paving the way for a three-ball run-out by Puff II as she won to tie the series at 2. Puff II seemed to have an advantage for much of game 5 despite giving up a wild-card ball early to Lexi. The host couldn't get position on her shots, and Puff II defended well, but her short shot on the 3 at the top side allowed Lexi a bank on the 12, which she made to the top left for the narrow win and the 3-2 series win. Lexi advances once again, getting to the bracket semifinals, where she hosts North Modernistic Nighthawks captain Peach at this venue. Puff II's narrow loss makes her the 60th player eliminated this year, and the third knocked out by Lexi as she joins the league-lead for kills.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Slinks. The silver cue ends its day with 15-ball between two grizzled veterans. Atlantic's Delila had an awful break in game 1, leading to a very slow start for herself and for Westside's Slinks. The game picked up pace toward the end, especially with Slinks on a four-ball run-out, using the 10 to guide the cue toward the 15 and the win at the bottom right for a 1-0 lead in the series. The Pirates' Delila did better in game 2, keeping a decent share of possession, but the Rockers' Slinks still looked like the better play. Delila did have a late scratch while making the 10, leading Slinks to put up a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand for the win and the 2-0 series lead. Slinks had another good break in game 3, but her offense slipped a bit as Delila did well in the early part of the game. Slinks would recover later, abusing the side pockets on a late four-ball run, but her bank on the 15 drifted wide, and Delila would make the tap-in for a well-earned win, cutting the series score to 2-1. Delila put up a good fight despite a bad break in game 4, trying to pick off some easier shots, but she couldn't match Slinks' intensity. Slinks would control the offense, and capitalize on Delila's mild mistake, deflecting the cue off the 6 to make the 14-15 combination in the top right. Slinks clinched the series at 3-1. Slinks tried her best in game 5, but her offense was slipping late in the game, and Delila picked up the slack on a four-ball run before she missed the 15. Slinks couldn't cut it from a tough angle, leaving Delila the tap-in for the win. Slinks took the series 3-2, and will travel to Apple Center in Todavía to visit the Stills' Bells in the bracket semifinals.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Klaus v. Ms. Puppy. The venue doubleheader concludes with 9-ball and the blue cue. Atlantic's Klaus opened game 1 with a three-ball run from the break, and he had a majority of possession until a scratch ruined his game. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy gladly took a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand for the win and the 1-0 series lead. The Union's Ms. Puppy didn't make anything on the break, but she still dominated possession late in the game. The Pirates' Klaus only had one chance to counter in game 2, but he missed the 8 from ball-in-hand, and Ms. Puppy backed up a three-ball run with the last pair of shots for the win and a 2-0 series lead. Ms. Puppy again went empty on the break in game 3, but it didn't matter that much. By the middle of the game, she had sparked herself to a four-ball run that ended in an unfortunate scratch. Klaus took the 8 cleanly, but left the 9 wide of the bottom left, and Ms. Puppy tapped it in to seal the series at 3-0. Ms. Puppy didn't have an easy game 4, with a three-ball run ending in a scratch early on. Klaus wasn't able to effectively counter, getting a couple of shots to fall but ultimately losing to an 8-9 combination from Ms. Puppy that made it a 4-0 series. Ms. Puppy had probably her best effort in game 5, with a five-ball run from the break and a late chance on the 9 that just went wide. Klaus didn't have much of a shot at the 9, but he banked it to the bottom left to avoid the sweep. Ms. Puppy won the series 4-1, earning a trip to the bracket semifinals.
Intel Center, Diamond: Citrus v. Tigerette. One of the big-name series is up in Rotation, also using the blue cue. Diamond's Citrus had a bit of a slow start, but both she and Commerce's Tigerette pretty much stayed within a shot of each other for the whole game. The only deviation came at the end, when Citrus finally pulled out to an 8-6 win for a gritty 1-0 series lead. Game 2 appeared headed down the same path after the Gems' Citrus had a solid break but a slow offense. The Tradewinds' Tigerette flipped that around quickly, taking a small lead that Citrus matched before using three short combinations in a seven-ball run-out for the 8-1 win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 saw Tigerette make a ball on the break to quickly set the tone. Citrus picked up a shot and tried to keep the pace down, but Tigerette took a three-ball run on her next turn. Citrus would pull even again with her own three-ball run, and then a four-ball run-out highlighted her 8-4 win. Citrus used the 8 as a decoy to get the 15 in the top left, and then double-potted the 8 to the bottom side and the 14 to the top right to retake the series lead at 2-1. Citrus kept the pace high in game 4, after a lousy break left plenty of clusters to bust. She had a good start, but Tigerette soon took the lead, and used her advanced age to lure Citrus into a terrible jump attempt. Tigerette took the ball-in-hand to double-pot the 5 and 6, igniting a four-ball run-out for her 8-3 win, which retied the series at 2. Citrus had a wicked double-pot in game 5, taking the lead after Tigerette's four-ball run with a cut on the 5 to the top side, which deflected the cue into the 8-14 combination, glancing it off the 11 and into the top right. Citrus would add another three-ball run in the end, winning 8-4 to get the 3-2 series win in a thrilling battle with Tigerette. Citrus will host her bracket semifinals series as well.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Prism v. Delila. A rookie who qualified well meets a veteran in 10-ball with the blue cue. Stonebridge's Prism put on a dazzling performance in game 1, making two balls on the break and never looking back over eight more shots, never letting Atlantic's Delila to the table with a ten-ball table-running giving Prism the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Prism couldn't duplicate the effort in game 2, and given a chance, the Pirates' Delila excelled. She lacked a long, convincing run, but her short spurts of offense worked well as she picked up the win on her second try at the 10. Prism missed a bank to the top left, and Delila cleaned it up, tying the series at 1. Delila couldn't stabilize her offense after a somewhat disappointing break. She had quite a few misses, but it was missed contact on the 7 that would end her effort in game 3. Prism used the ball-in-hand she received to make a three-ball run-out, retaking the series lead at 2-1 after a strong win. Prism started game 4 with a four-ball run, a strong show of offense nearly negated by two scratches. Delila had picked up the pace with a three-ball run after that, but she scratched after making the 9, and Prism secured the series with a tap-in on the 10 for the win and a 3-1 series lead. Prism had a good performance in game 5, mirrored by Delila's rough outing that saw her scratch. Prism tried a 3-10 combination from ball-in-hand early on, drawing the ire of a contingent of visiting fans, and even more vitriol when she missed. Prism came through with a five-ball run-out in the end to make it a 4-1 series. Delila is the 61st player to be eliminated so far, and Prism earned her first kill of the year.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Leonette v. Dewey. The blue cue gets its last series today with another 10-ball divisional, this time on the Coast. Pacific's Leonette made the best of a rough start in game 1, but her offense soon faded, and Oceanside's Dewey made a four-ball run and the 10 when Leonette missed her only chance at it. Dewey's opportunistic offense gave him a 1-0 series lead with the win. The Waves' Dewey couldn't get his offense going at the start of game 2, surrendering a large share of possession to the Volcanoes' Leonette. The host waned a bit later, giving Dewey a four-ball run, but he couldn't corral the 10, and Leonette cut it to the bottom left for the win, retying the series at 1. Offense was again hard to come by in game 3, with neither player having much to speak of in the early going. Eventually, the game opened up, and Dewey took advantage with a four-ball run-out for the win and the 2-1 series lead. Game 4 saw a bit more pace, with Dewey making a couple of shots early on. Leonette poked a shot in here and there at first, but she took advantage of Dewey's miss on the 6 to spark a five-ball run-out, the deep stretch of offense pacing Leonette to the win and the newly-tied series at 2. Game 5 went by at a speedy pace, with Leonette going with a four-ball run from the break, and while she thought it would get back to get, Dewey had other plans. Dewey executed a brilliant orchestrated six-ball run-out to grab the win and the 3-2 series. Dewey advances to the bracket semifinals, where he travels to Nestle's Warriors Hall in Central for a meeting with the Warriors' reigning MVP, Dustin.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Bryant v. Puff III. A Northeastern Divisional in Accuracy sees the red cue on hand for the Forest Derby. Maplewood's Bryant and Everton's Puff III engaged in a perfect game 1 for about half the rack, before Bryant tripped up once and then faded late. Puff III kept the pressure on, doing well with her attack to win 1-4 and take a 1-0 series lead. The Eagles' Puff III had an early miss in game 2, and she spent most of the game trailing, but did enough from the disadvantaged position to force the Lumberjacks' Bryant into a miss on the last ball. Puff III converted, forcing overtime, where Bryant missed again, and Puff III made a shot for the 2-3 win and 2-0 series lead. Bryant had a miss on his first shot of game 3, just taking time to get himself recovered from the last game, but Puff III knew what she had to do to make things easier for herself. Puff III didn't miss all game, and while Bryant kept close, he couldn't catch up, as Puff III won 0-1 to seal the series at 3-0. Game 4 was much sloppier than the previous ones, with nothing left for either player to prove. Bryant had a lot of early misses, but Puff III offset some of those, and Bryant did enough late to make her fall into a tie. Bryant still had to take the overtime break, and came up empty, allowing Puff III to make a ball for the 5-6 win and 4-0 series lead. Bryant tried to keep up in game 5, and the two players remained tied for most of the game after a rocky start, but Bryant had a late miss and Puff III shut the door to win 2-3 for the 5-0 series sweep. Puff III will return to the neighboring city to host her bracket semifinals series.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Isabella v. Hoppy. Today's final series is in 8-ball, using the red cue as rookies battle. Atlantic's Isabella made a three-ball run from the break, but she left plenty of nice shots for Southern's Hoppy, who took advantage. The game was close for a bit, but Hoppy had to backtrack to defense, and Isabella still won with a four-ball run-out a turn after scratching, good for a 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Isabella had a slow build for much of game 2, allowing the Monarchs' Hoppy to pick her suit, and then storming by the visitor with a three-ball run. Isabella kept things mostly to pairs of shots afterward, and had no pressure from Hoppy when she made the 8 to the top side on her second try. Isabella holds a 2-0 series lead. Isabella had an even easier time in game 3, as three scratches negated nearly all the offense Hoppy could muster. The last of the scratches was with no balls potted, so Isabella had straight ball-in-hand, allowing her to set up for the 8. Hoppy would make a late pair, but Isabella tapped the 8 in for the win, clinching the series at 3-0. Isabella faced more of a challenge from Hoppy in this one, as both players made a fair amount of shots. In the end, Isabella again came up stronger with a late burst forward to get the win and the 4-0 series lead. Isabella didn't have the patience in game 5, unable to work her way to a sweep as Hoppy played well enough to get one win. Isabella did come close, but a late scratch derailed her efforts. Isabella won the series 4-1 to advance to the bracket semifinals.
That's all for today's games. We've got one more day like this before taking Thursday off.
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