A new day of games is here again, although there may be some interesting timing involved to fit it all in. We begin with...
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Lorde v. Yekaterina Vasilyeva. Today's first series is in 8-ball with the silver cue. Victoria's Yekaterina had a four-ball run on her first turn, squished between a pair of three-ball runs by Capital City's Lorde. Yekaterina made pairs of shots on her next two turns, narrowly managing to take the win for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw a bit more chippy play, as the longer runs seen in game 1 didn't develop. The Spurs' Yekaterina seemed to have the late edge, but the Sharpshooters' Lorde picked up the win on her second try at the 8, tying the series at 1. Yekaterina had control of game 3 from the start with great positioning, and she patiently allowed Lorde to clear some of her defense away. Lorde obliged, and Yekaterina struck for the win to take the series at 2-1, earning her place in the second round.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Misty v. Leonette. A marquee match between the famous sisters is set for 12-ball with the red cue. Pacific's Leonette didn't have much as Westside's Misty started on a three-ball run, but Misty scratched and gave away a wild-card ball later on. Leonette took advantage, winning on a well-played three-ball run-out to take a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Misty committed to a better effort in game 2 and made it work, getting a nice run to put the Volcanoes' Leonette under pressure. Leonette got a couple back, but Misty put her last shot in the top side, tying the series at 2 with her win. Misty thought about making a deep run late in game 3, but she couldn't quite pull it off. Leonette's early four-ball run helped her hold on for the win on a late tap-in, clinching the series at 2-1 to move to the second round.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Twinkie I v. Bright. The silver cue is back in action with this 10-ball series. Pacific's Twinkie I had a decent share of possession in game 1, attacking a bit timidly at times. Pearl's Bright played a similar style, although he wasted a late three-ball run by missing on the 9. Twinkie I took over for two shots, earning the win for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw the Surfers' Bright lose a run over an illegally potted ball, leading to a drag race finish between him and the Volcanoes' Twinkie I. Both had their chances on the 10, and both missed, with Twinkie I winning on the second try to secure the series at 2-0. Bright had a three-ball run that went to waste when he illegally potted the 6, but Twinkie I didn't have a counter run, and Bright made the last two shots in game 3 to get his only win of the series. Twinkie I took the series 2-1, advancing to the second round.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Hershey v. Solaris. A hyped rookie meets a post-hype sophomore in 12-ball with the red cue. Infinity's Solaris needed only two turns, both three-ball runs, to counter Stonebridge's Hershey making a ball on the break. The second turn was a benefit as Hershey made a rookie error and Solaris cashed in for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Hershey had a spectacular answer in game 2, accidentally picking up solids on his first turn, and then submitting a four-ball run-out on the next after leaving five of six stripes on the top rail for the Torpedoes' Solaris. Hershey's brilliant play earned him the win to tie the series at 1. Hershey had an aggressive break in game 3, but it didn't work out as well as planned, as he ended up giving away a wild-card ball on the second turn. Solaris used this flexibility to get a three-ball run-out lined up, halting Hershey's comeback with his own win. Solaris took the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Kirstin v. Katharine McPhee. The blue cue gets an appearance in Accuracy for this one. Everton's Kirstin fell a bit behind in game 1, but she launched a plan to pull Whitewater's Katharine down. It worked, forcing overtime, and when Katharine missed, Kirstin converted to win 3-4 for the 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was a clinic in shot quality, as the Eagles' Kirstin and the Shores' Katharine each got lucky once, but otherwise looked the part of perfect for 25 shots. Kirstin missed first, but Katharine followed on a scratch, and then Katharine missed the last ball in overtime. Kirstin took the thriller 1-2, clinching the series at 2-0. Katharine would get her win in game 3, taking the win at 3-4 after Kirstin couldn't keep up with the pace she established. Kirstin advances to the second round with a 2-1 series win.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Midnight v. Puff I. A minor Urban Derby occurs in this Rotation series between veteran. The silver cue is in play. Westside's Midnight started well in game 1, and then she battled with Modernistic's Puff I for the middle part of the game. The two were close and competitive until Midnight found a three-ball run-out to win 8-5 for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 started in a similar fashion, but the Union's Puff I took it in a different direction rather quickly. Puff I built up a nice lead with a three-ball run, and the Rockers' Midnight never caught up. Puff I won 8-3 to tie the series at 1. Midnight took care of business in game 3, falling a bit behind early on before rallying to take the 8-5 win away from Puff I. Midnight's late push gave her a 2-1 series win to get to the second round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Katelynn v. Oreo. A returning veteran meets a growing star in 15-ball with the blue cue. Lighton's Katelynn needed some time to get going in an outright ugly game 1, but she eventually build up a long run-out to defeat Terrace City's Oreo, earning a 1-0 series lead in the process. Game 2 saw the two players' tensions rise as the Prestige's Katelynn struggled to get anything going. The Knights' Oreo even lost her usually cool demeanor, and they simply exchanged scratches and ball-in-hand shots until Katelynn took the series at 2-0 with a hardly-earned win. Play resumed Friday after the pause on Thursday, and Katelynn squeaked out another win in game 3, as Oreo missed a short-range shot on the 15. Katelynn swept the series 3-0 to advance to the second round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Princess. Stars collide in another blue cue series, this one in Rotation. Lighton's Acorn had a fortune-laden game 1 run, making four in a row early on. Tysini's Princess took a late lead with a three-ball run, but she couldn't seal it on the 14, and Acorn made the last two balls to take the 8-7 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Acorn started with a three-ball run from the break in game 2, and he added another push late, before winning 8-4 from ball-in-hand after missed contact by the Hummingbirds' Princess. The win put Acorn ahead 2-0 in the series. Acorn tried a comeback style in game 3, allowing Princess to take the early lead, then tying the score just after mid-game before rallying to win 8-7 in the end. Acorn swept the series 3-0, moving along to the second round with the effort.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Hughbert v. Yekaterina Vasilyeva. The blue cue is still in action, shooting 7-ball. Southridge's Hughbert had a slightly better game 1 than Victoria's Yekaterina, but neither could develop any big runs. Hughbert did tap the 7 into the top left at the end after a drawn-out battle, earning him a 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Hughbert went empty on the break in game 2, but he would soon benefit. The Spurs' Yekaterina made the 2 on a cut, but missed contact on an attempted 3-7 combination. Hughbert took the same play from ball-in-hand, converting to get the win and to clinch the series at 2-0. Yekaterina finally got a shot to go her way in game 3, making the 2-4-7 combination to the top right after Hughbert had some difficulty after the break. Hughbert did win the series 2-1, advancing to the second round.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Fuchsia v. Cheddar. The blue cue gets another nod in 10-ball between a sophomore and a veteran. North Modernistic's Cheddar had a dominant five-ball run in the middle of game 1, but her late fade left the 10 exposed at the top right, and Midland's Fuchsia tapped it in, poaching the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Fuchsia had a bit more involvement in the offense in game 2, pushing back at a three-ball run from the Nighthawks' Cheddar with a three-ball run-out of her own, good to clinch the series at 2-0. Fuchsia continued her ascent in the series, dominating game 3 completely with an eight-ball run-out at the end, recovering from a slow start. Fuchsia defeated Cheddar 3-0, earning her place in the second round.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Sage v. Chris. A hyped rookie meets a reliable captain as the red cue takes a taste of 10-ball. Victoria's Sage made things difficult in game 1 for Capital City's Chris, leaving him in bad positions. He had one short run, but he missed the 7-10 combination he wanted, and Sage took off on a four-ball run-out for the win, earning a 1-0 lead in the series. The Sharpshooters' Chris stayed in the series in game 2, with both of his turns involving four-ball runs. In between, the Spurs' Sage made a shot, but she couldn't build on it, allowing Chris the second run that earned him a win. The series is tied at 1. Sage brought the series to a quick end in controversial fashion in game 3. Chris missed contact on the 2, and Sage took the 2-10 combination with a deflection off the 4 to the bottom right from ball-in-hand, a valid win drawing the ire of the visiting fans. Sage moves on with a 2-1 series win, although opponents have lost some respect for her actions.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Nikolai. The silver cue gets an appearance in 12-ball to wrap up this slate of games. Atlantic's Delila had a slow start in game 1, but a wild-card ball given away by Freedom's Nikolai, coupled with his lazy defense, allowed Delila to pull herself to a win and a 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Nikolai responded with a fierce burst in game 2, making two balls on his first turn and a three-ball run on his next one. The Pirates' Delila got some back, but she couldn't defend the bottom right, and Nikolai finished the game there to tie the series at 1 with his win. Nikolai got a ball on the break and took a three-ball run from there, leaving Delila with virtually nothing to shoot at it as all her balls were congregated in one corner. Nikolai needed only two more turns to take the win and the series at 2-1, earning passage to the second round.
We'll be taking the weekend off from Tournament play, allowing Premier to play out Week 11 in cricket to bring that sport fully to halfway this season.
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