2018 Qualifiers - Day 14

We're ready to go with a standard day of games. We begin with...

Nicole of the Lighton Prestige playing 9-ball with the silver cue. Nicole had nothing on the break and picked up a quick three errors during the game, amplifying her struggles with a lack of command on even short shots. Her shortsighted shooting led to a score of 23. Moving along, the Westside Rockers' Slinks shoots 15-ball with the silver cue. Slinks made a ball on the break, but managed to pick up six errors in 30 shots during the game, mostly for an unrivaled ability to scratch after making a shot. This led to a mediocre performance when judged in full. The Queens Flames captain Crystal tries to get the league back on track with her 9-ball game with the silver cue. Crystal was a little better in this game, but her empty break and two errors, as well as more rattled and off-target shots kept today's poor shooting alive as she finished with 21 shots. Oceanside Waves rookie Josie is stepping into a tough situation, using the blue cue for 8-ball in this appearance. Josie looked solid despite an empty break, giving hope that today's problems may be silver cue-exclusive. She did take one error for illegal contact, but finished at 22 shots in a decent effort. The fifth player today is the Archtown Arrows veteran Sally, who uses the silver cue in 10-ball. Sally had a couple of errors after an empty break this time, expressing frustration with the recurring theme of getting snookered after making a shot in the event. She finished with 20 shots, although her pending suspension case took a hit with her actions in this game.

Group two gets going with Golden Pilots captain Valencia shooting 8-ball with the red cue. Valencia made a ball on the break, setting a positive tone early, but she added two errors during the game, pushing her score to 21 shots for the game, still a decent outing. Next up, Southern Monarchs captain Panda uses the blue cue in 9-ball. Panda had no issue with his game, making a ball on the break, and while he did scratch for his only error, it simplified his finish three shots later, as he made the 3-9 combination to the bottom right to end with 7 shots total. The eighth player to shoot today is Everton Eagles star Blizzard, who uses the blue cue in 12-ball. Blizzard couldn't make anything on the break, but she kept a clean game with no errors, and she finished the appearance in 22 shots. Golden Pilots veteran A. Charlton is next to play, using the silver cue in 12-ball. Charlton had a ball on the break, and then picked up the pace despite two errors in the course of play, ending at 20 shots to show some improvement that gives the league hope for better results later today. Finishing the group, Capital City Sharpshooters newcomer Lorde picks up the silver cue for 12-ball as well. Lorde made a ball on the break and got a good distribution from there, knocking the rack down in 16 shots even with her single error factored in.

The third group leads off with North Modernistic Nighthawks rookie Gal Gadot shooting Rotation with the silver cue. Gal didn't waste much time in getting her offense going, missing a couple of shots but then jumping in. She didn't let the empty break hold her back, finishing at 27 shots with one error for a scratch. Up next, the Waves' Josie is back for 9-ball with the red cue in this game. Josie had a ball on the break and an early scratch before settling into a productive groove to finish with 10 shots for an excellent first showing in this event. The Nighthawks' Gal is back for her second game now, using the red cue in 15-ball. Gal had a rough start to her game, scratching on the break, and she added a second error before she could make the 1. She was saved in the end when the 8-15 combination lined up, and she made it in the top left to end at 20 shots with the two errors. The 14th game today goes to Atlantic Pirates captain Delila, who plays 9-ball with the red cue. Delila got nothing on the break, and suffered three snookers, erring on two of them but winning with a vicious 3-9 kick combination on the third one to end at 8 shots. At the back of the batch, Whitewater Shores mainstay Twinkie III plays 15-ball with the silver cue. Twinkie III had a fortunate game, taking two errors when she couldn't hit the 1 on her first shot, but also finishing with 6 shots as her make on the 1 left her lined up for the 2-3-11-15 combination to the bottom right.

The fourth batch opens with Pacific Volcanoes veteran Chicky Phil using the red cue in 10-ball. Chicky Phil was fuming by the end of his turn, which saw him take four errors before he could pot the 1. He settled down in the end, but still needed 22 shots to get through the increasingly difficult event. The 17th game of the day belongs to the Queens Flames' Kyle, who plays 10-ball with the red cue as well. Kyle had a refreshingly simple game, needing only 15 shots without a ball on the break or any errors to get through his appearance. Following that, Maplewood Lumberjacks rookie Summer shoots her 10-ball with the silver cue. Summer had some words for league officials with the snooker issue in the event, as she took three errors despite her ball on the break to score 21 shots for the game. One was an unfortunate illegal potting of the 10, which really interfered with the rest of the game. Lighton Prestige returnee Katelynn appears in Rotation with the silver cue in the next game. Katelynn overcame a brutal start to the game, picking up three of her four errors before potting the 4, and then she surged late to finish on 26 shots for the game, still barking about snookers and scratches at the end. Rounding out the group, the Arrows' Sally returns for her second game today, using the red cue in 12-ball. Sally was more subdued in this game, going empty on the break and taking a late error for missed contact, but still finishing with a good 19 shots for the game.

Group five starts with Central Warriors newcomer Wings playing 15-ball with the red cue. Wings looked lively from the start despite going empty on the break. He had one early error and another around the middle of the game, but still finished with 25 shots after a brief late fade. Lighton Prestige captain Acorn is the next player drawn, shooting 10-ball with the silver cue. Acorn didn't have too much trouble in his game, showing some of today's best control and needing only 15 shots with one error after an empty break to clear the table. The 23rd game of the day is for Royal Crowns captain Nightfur, as she shoots 9-ball with the silver cue. Nightfur showed no hesitation in her game, making a ball on the break and then immediately potting the 1-9 combination to the top right to finish with 1 shot and no errors. Following that is one of Nightfur's former teammates, the current Queens Flames newcomer Hannah, shooting 10-ball with the blue cue. Hannah couldn't quite make anything on the break, and she missed contact once early in the game, but that was her only error among 16 shots for a good outing. Wrapping up the group, Boston Swifts stalwart Gradley shoots 10-ball with the red cue. Gradley was not happy with his break, which forced him to take one intentional error, his only one of the game, and then another cluster-buster shot to get free. He surged from here, ending at 19 shots for the game.

Group six kicks off with Tysini Hummingbirds captain Princess using the silver cue in 15-ball. Princess got nothing on the break and remained agonizingly close to breaking out on a run, but instead took three errors and 36 shots in the name of fair play in the worst game in the event yet. Trying to bring the quality back up, Stonebridge Wolves sophomore Cobalt uses the blue cue for 12-ball. Cobalt had nothing on the break, and he took no errors in the game, playing pretty well but not perfectly with such a favorable spread as he finished in 21 shots. Continuing along, Modernistic Union captain Ms. Puppy does her 12-ball with the silver cue. Ms. Puppy had a great outing, making a ball on the break and even getting a little lucky at times. She had no errors among her 16 shots in a quick outing. Going 29th today, Southern Monarchs rookie Avril Lavigne shoots 8-ball with the silver cue. Avril had a great game going, making a ball on the break and cruising through the rack, but her rather unnecessary play for better position on the last ball caused her to scratch while making the 8. She failed from the kitchen as well, with six errors in 26 shots charged to her score. Vladimir Vasilyev of the Stonebridge Wolves closes the group with his 12-ball game with the red cue. Vladimir looked great despite his empty break, taking only one error in 16 shots to get through his game quite fast.

The seventh bunch is headed by Dani of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors shooting 10-ball with the red cue. Dani tried to be a little too creative at times, taking her one error on a scratch after trying to get good positioning. She ended in 14 shots, wasting a few late in hopes of a quicker finish. Atlantic Pirates sophomore Klaus goes next, using the red cue for 9-ball. It was not the best of outings for Klaus, as he went empty on the break and needed 19 shots with only one error to complete the effort. Shooting 33rd today, the Eastside Sharks newcomer Gizmo uses the blue cue for his 9-ball appearance. Gizmo also had an empty break, and he took an early error after getting snookered, but it worked out, setting up a later 5-9 combination to the top right to end his turn in 10 shots. Moving along, Commerce Tradewinds captain Tigerette steps in to play Rotation with the red cue. Tigerette held her anger in during the appearance, completely losing control after making the 7. She had nothing on the break and only added three errors in a whopping 40 shots. Ending the group, the Crowns captain Nightfur returns for 10-ball with the blue cue. Nightfur started well despite an empty break, but three errors came up throughout the game, and she finished with 20 shots.

The final group commences as Viewpoint Sound Meteors captain Mams shoots 9-ball with the blue cue. Mams couldn't get a grip on the game either, making nothing on the break and chasing the 3 hopelessly around the table. She had two errors and 24 shots in the game. Quality is sagging as we reach the 37th game today, belonging to Nighthawks rookie Gal, her third game being Accuracy as she becomes the first player to finish qualifying. She used the red cue, scoring 19 shots without an error and with nothing from the break. Gal needed 151 shots with five errors in total during qualifying. Next up, the Crowns captain Nightfur is back for her third game, using the red cue in 12-ball. Nightfur had a strong outing this time, making two balls on the break and taking no errors in the appearance. Her strong pace early faded, but she finished with a great 18 shots. The Pirates captain Delila is back for her second game today, using the silver cue in 10-ball. Delila didn't make a ball on the break in this game, but she stayed solid throughout, only taking one error for missed contact in her 16 shots. Boots of the Pearl Surfers gets the last game, using the red cue in 9-ball. Boots had nothing on the break but also finished with 14 shots and no error in a good finish to a roller coaster day.

We're back tomorrow for a regular day of games before a break on Thursday.