Here, we have the final of Round A2. After today's eight series, we will have a standings update and a new schedule for Round A3 posted to the blog. We will be off from Tournament play until Monday. Let's begin with...
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Debby Ryan v. Cheddar. The silver cue makes the start today in 12-ball. Southridge's Debby had a few good shots in game 1, but she couldn't hold off North Modernistic's Cheddar, who made her shots in pairs for a quick attack in the win. Cheddar's solid performance gave her a 1-0 series lead, highlighted by her bank on the 5 to the bottom left. The Nighthawks' Cheddar tried a similar approach in game 2, but she couldn't make it stick. At the end, she kicked the 5 to the top left, but scratch while making her last ball and gave the Defenders' Debby a wild-card ball. Debby took the advantage and won two turns later, tying the series at 1. Cheddar overcame giving up a wild-card ball to Debby in a quick game 3, as both players had their shots very dialed in. Cheddar got good positioning, while Debby was working on her final ball when Cheddar took the game for a 2-1 series win. In game 4, each player had a chance for a deep run after a booming break by Cheddar. The break seemed to be the only bright spot for Cheddar, as Debby had a scratch and still got the win with a three-ball run followed by patient placement on her final two shots. Debby's smart playing tied the series at 2 in a hard-fought series. Debby had a good break in game 5, and managed a big run to get onto her last ball before Cheddar stalled her defensively. Debby had a scratch, and Cheddar charged forward on a four-ball run, but Debby banked the 10 past Cheddar's 5 at the bottom side, then kicked in the 12 at the bottom left to win. Debby took the series 3-2, advancing to a road series at Toyota Arena in Freedom against the Cascades captain Jasmine. Debby won the do-or-die series, earning her first kill as Cheddar is the 35th player eliminated from the Tournament.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Potter v. B. Chapman. The red cue is up next, playing 10-ball around the lunch break. Pronger's Potter got the better of Victoria's Chapman in a tough game 1, using Chapman's miss on the 6 to line up the 6-10 bank combination that Potter made in the bottom right. The clever shot gave Potter the series lead at 1-0. The Spurs' Chapman didn't expect a decision to give possession to the Tridents' Potter after he illegally potted the 6 would lead Potter to a seven-ball run. The long stretch shook Chapman, who couldn't convert on two chances toward the 9, eventually falling to Potter's dominant shot as he takes a 2-0 series lead. In game 3, Chapman had to come up big to keep her bid alive, and she did. Potter had a poor shot on the 6 in this game, and Chapman used it to drive the cue into the 10 at the top right, potting it to cut the series to 2-1. Chapman had a tough battle in game 4, struggling at first but gaining traction in the end with a three-ball run-out to get around Potter, who couldn't get enough shots to fall in his favor. Chapman's win tied the series at 2. In game 5, Potter made a pair of three-ball runs, but he left the 10 at the edge of the top right after the second of those runs, and Chapman tapped it in, completing her series comeback with a 3-2 win. Chapman next travels to Home Depot Forum in Web City to oppose the Spiders' Ted in the bracket quarterfinals. Potter is the 36th player eliminated with this loss, making it one-quarter of all players now on the outside. Chapman has her first kill of the year.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Whiskers v. Goatee. The red cue ends its round in Rotation between members of the same club. Infinity's Whiskers went primarily unchallenged in game 1, facing resistance from the rack but none from Westside's Goatee, who had three scratches undermining her effort. Whiskers closed with a three-ball run and a tap-in on the 8 to get the 8-1 win and a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Goatee had a stunning turn of play in game 2, making a four-ball run to start the scoring. The Torpedoes' Whiskers pulled ahead with a four-ball run and another shot on her next turn, which Goatee soon matched. At the end, Goatee made the 11 from ball-in-hand and sank the 12-15 kick combination to the bottom right, sending the 12 to the bottom side to win 8-5, tying the series at 1. Whiskers had a nice bounce-back effort in game 3, battling evenly with Goatee at the start before a pair of three-ball runs earned her the win. The latter of these two was particularly well-played to earn Whiskers the 8-3 win and a 2-1 series lead. Goatee again had a surge at the start of game 4, although Whiskers did hold her off for a bit. Whiskers' defensive effort ended abruptly with a four-ball run-out by Goatee, who used smart positioning to overcome a couple of scratches and win 8-3, tying the series again at 2. Whiskers and Goatee matched up very well in game 5, featuring a hodgepodge of their previous battles. Fittingly, it was Goatee's scratch at the end that ended her rally and allowed Whiskers to get the 8-6 win for the 3-2 series win. Whiskers will head to Toyota Arena in Freedom to face off with the Cascades' Stinky in the bracket quarterfinals.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Sydney Sierota v. Mario. Northeastern Celebrity players clash as the blue cue comes up for Rotation. Central's Mario rallied big time with a four-ball run and some extra shots on later turns before Harrison's Sydney ever got on the board. Sydney didn't have a deep run in her, conceding the 8-2 result to Mario, who now leads the series 1-0 with the dominant game. The Specters' Sydney tried a similar style of play in game 2, making a three-ball run early on. The Warriors' Mario had a ball in, but scratched, and Sydney chipped herself farther ahead. At the end, Mario had some pressure building, but Sydney made her last two shots for the 8-4 win to keep Mario away from a likely comeback run. The series is tied at 1. Mario pulled back with a very quick game 3 win, pacing himself with a bit of defense early on before a five-ball run-out highlight by a 5-7 kick combination to the top side made it an 8-1 win over Sydney. Mario leads the series again at 2-1. Mario had the early lead in game 4, but Sydney produced a three-ball run to tie it, and the game remained tied until she made the last two shots for the 8-6 win to tie the series once more at 2. Sydney had some early trouble keeping Mario at bay in game 5, but she figured it out quickly enough, and suppressed his last push before she got the win at 8-5 to take the series 3-2. Sydney will travel in the bracket quarterfinals to Del Sur, facing the Southern Monarchs captain Panda at the House of 10 Windows.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Missy v. Dewey. The blue cue continues with a series of 10-ball this time. Capital City's Missy arguably had the better of play in game 1, and a highlight of her making the 2 and 9 to the top right without the two balls contacting each other. Oceanside's Dewey got the win when Missy left the 10 standing. Dewey kicked it to the bottom right to go ahead 1-0 in the series. The Waves' Dewey had far more success on his creative shooting in game 2 than did the Sharpshooters' Missy. Dewey made the 1 on a kick early, and then the 9 on a bank as part of his four-ball run-out, dominating both ends of the game for the win and a 2-0 series lead to the visitor. Dewey shook Missy's confidence even more in game 3 as Dewey potted a crisp five-ball run that almost went longer. Missy had shaky shooting on her last two turns, and Dewey iced the game in favor of himself with a nice shot on the 10, clinching the series at 3-0. Dewey didn't have the same unbeatable aura around him in game 4, and Missy took advantage of it, striking at his vulnerability with a three-ball run and then a nice cut on the 10 to win the game late and make it a 3-1 series. Game 5 saw a lazy side come out of both players. Missy's break was very casual, and a few missed shots and errors later, Dewey took the 4-10 combination from ball-in-hand to the bottom right for the win. Dewey took the series 4-1, and will head out on the road again to face the Volcanoes' Leonette at Verizon Field Events Center in Pacific in the bracket quarterfinals.
Intel Center, Diamond: Citrus v. Blizzard. Cousins meet in Rotation, another series featuring the blue cue. Diamond's Citrus didn't assemble one big run to take down Everton's Blizzard, but a bunch of one and two-ball turns sufficed, as Blizzard's scratches and off-target shooting allowed Citrus plenty of space in an 8-0 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Eagles' Blizzard quickly figured out what went wrong in the first game and corrected her mistakes, blazing her way to a lead in game 2. The Gems' Citrus began to miss shots and couldn't get many clear lines to shoot on. Citrus left the result frustrated when Blizzard made the 15-12 combination after deflecting the cue off the 9 to win 8-2, tying the series at 1. Blizzard jumped out to an early lead again in game 3, but Citrus proved much more able to counter this time. Citrus held even with Blizzard for awhile, and then suddenly lurched ahead with a four-ball run-out to win 8-4, regaining the series at 2-1. Game 4 started with a pretty even battle between Blizzard and Citrus, as they jockeyed around a buried 3. Blizzard picked that ball up, and then had a short run followed by a three-ball run-out for the 8-2 win. Blizzard also had a highlight earlier in the game with the 2-13-15 combination to the top right, which helped her gain the confidence she needed to win the game and tie the series at 2. Game 5 saw Citrus take an early lead, but Blizzard wouldn't let her get away, and the competition remained fierce until Citrus executed a three-ball run-out, ending on the 13-14 combination to the top left, to win 8-5. Citrus took the series 3-2, and she will host the Commerce Tradewinds' Tigerette in the bracket quarterfinals at this venue.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Goldy v. Goatee. Two very experienced veterans close out the blue cue's round with 7-ball. Everton's Goldy didn't get anything out of her break, and she showed a bit of a concern when Westside's Goatee made a three-ball run, but Goldy made the rest, ending on a three-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Eagles' Goldy didn't have much of an impact in game 2, making the first and last balls while the Rockers' Goatee put up a five-ball run-out. Goldy's ability to finish when Goatee set her apart positively, giving the host a 2-0 series lead through a bit of good fortune. Goldy had a decent game 3, but neither she nor Goatee could get a run going. Instead, they exchanged shots evenly throughout, until Goldy's miss on the 7 set Goatee up to bank it into the bottom side for her first win in the now 2-1 series. Goatee had a desperate attempt to make contact on the 4 in game 4, stuck slightly behind the 7 from the position Goldy had given her. This caused Goatee to illegally pot the 7 in the bottom side, gifting the series to Goldy, who leads 3-1 after the decisive play. Goldy picked up another win in game 5 when Goatee couldn't complete a run with a bank on the 7 toward the top side. Goldy tapped it in on her turn to make it a 4-1 series. Goldy is off to her Northeastern neighbor in Central, facing the Warriors captain Twilight at Nestle's Warriors Hall in the bracket quarterfinals.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Nibbles v. Kirstin. The round ends with the silver cue and 12-ball. Everton's Kirstin had a clear advantage in game 1, getting more of her shots lined up while Viewpoint Sound's Nibbles had to deal with a ball he almost illegally potted on the break. He eventually scratched it in, but Kirstin made her last three shots faster than Nibbles could, and Kirstin won for a 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Nibbles struck first in game 2, and he had fairly clear lines for his early shots. The Eagles' Kirstin didn't let Nibbles get too far ahead, but Nibbles stayed in front for the whole game, making his last two shots at the left corners for the win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 went pretty quickly, as both Kirstin and Nibbles had fairly simple starts. The end proved a bit more difficult to Nibbles, who thought he needed the top left when he needed the bottom side, and this allowed Kirstin the time to tap in her last two shots at the same pockets for the win, giving her another series lead at 2-1. Kirstin fell behind with a lack of clear shots, as Nibbles unintentionally held good defensive positioning in game 4. His four-ball run ruined this a bit, and Kirstin eventually had a four-ball run of her own, but missed contact on her last ball allowed Nibbles a free shot for his last ball, which he converted to win and tie the series at 2 again. Nibbles and Kirstin engaged in a very tense game 5, as neither wanted to be the one to lose at the end. Kirstin just couldn't get on position enough near the end, and Nibbles finished her off with his last two shots to take the game and a 3-2 series. Nibbles will host North Modernistic Nighthawks rookie captain Peach in the bracket quarterfinals at this venue.
That's all for this round. Tournament play resumes on Monday, while there should be at least one posted segment of cricket before the weekend.
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