The Tournament rolls on, beginning Day 21 with...
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Mario v. Goatee. The red cue gets the first series today, playing 9-ball. Westside's Goatee had a massive share of possession, with an early four-ball run supplemented by the last three balls over two turns. Central's Mario missed the 9 on his only chance, and Goatee banked it to the top left for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Mario did well to take game 2 on a three-ball run-out despite continued pressure for the Rockers' Goatee. The game turned to Mario when Goatee missed the 6, and Mario finished with a bank of the 9 to the bottom right to tie the series at 1. Game 3 went pretty favorably for Mario as he hit a five-ball run from the break, but he faltered late, and his scratch on the 8 allowed Goatee to pick up the last two balls from ball-in-hand for the win. Goatee heads to the second round with a 2-1 series win. Mario is the first player to finish the first round, advancing two bids total.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Chimpy v. Sugar. A returnee and a veteran meet in 9-ball, this time with the blue cue. Modernistic's Chimpy had a clear edge in game 1, making a three-ball run early and the last three balls over two turns to overwhelm Web City's Sugar, who hit a three-ball run in the middle. Chimpy's direct style earned him a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Sugar had a much greater share of possession in game 2, which combined nicely for her with two scratches by the Union's Chimpy. Sugar controlled the game late as well, tapping in the 9 alone to get the win and tie the series at 1. Sugar finally cracked in game 3, as Chimpy's mind-games got to her late in a frustrating battle. Sugar rattled the 7 into the bottom side, but drew the cue into the top right for a scratch, gifting Chimpy the win from ball-in-hand. Chimpy took the series 2-1 to advance to the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Gal Gadot. A star-studded series gets underway in 12-ball with the silver cue. North Modernistic's Gal took a three-ball run on her first turn, and she made it work, overcoming a late push by Boston's Patches to get the win by three balls for a 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Gal made a bold choice in game 2 after potting two solids and a stripe on the break. She chose stripes, turning it into a four-ball run with two wild-card balls surrendered to the Swifts' Patches. The host did alright at first, but Patches couldn't find a home for her last two balls, and Gal patiently moved her 15 to the top right, striking it in to clinch the series at 2-0. Patches had a grip on game 3 from the start, and she frustrated Gal with good positioning this time. Patches cruised to the win in the game, but Gal took the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Dusky v. Kiwi. Two long-time veterans meet in 9-ball with the silver cue. Terrace City's Kiwi had a great share of possession in game 1, but it all went to waste when she had to chase the 9. She never potted it, as Archtown's Dusky made it on her second try to steal the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Kiwi did not change her game plan for game 2, making a three-ball run early and continuing to dominate possession. This time, the Arrows' Dusky had the first miss on the 9 on a bank attempt, and Kiwi tapped it into the top right from distance for the win, tying the series at 1. Kiwi had a four-ball run early in game 3, but Dusky kept pace this time, answering with a four-ball run of her own before missing contact on the 9. Kiwi tapped it in, taking the win and the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
Apple Center, Todavía: Bells v. Shadow. The red cue resumes play after lunch in 12-ball between two veterans. Mental errors make for a sloppy game 1, as Web City's Shadow rejected a wild-card ball given to him by Todavía's Bells, then illegally potted a ball. Bells was hardly better, miscuing on a spinning kick play that led to Shadow's three-ball run-out for the win. Shadow leads the series 1-0. Game 2 saw the Spiders' Shadow take a commanding lead, and with good positioning, but the Stills' Bells played well defensively. Bells left Shadow frustrated, then made her last two balls for the win, tying the series at 1. Bells and Shadow tangled for a worthy decisive game 3, as both prioritized defense and left the other with half chances. Shadow set himself apart with a strategic scratch, forcing Bells to miss contact on her last ball, and then Shadow took the last two shots from ball-in-hand for the win and 2-1 series win to advance to the second round.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Jasmine v. Dani. Two veterans clash in 15-ball with the blue cue. Freedom's Jasmine started well in game 1, but Viewpoint Sound's Dani made a five-ball run and a pair of shots on her last two turns, leaving only the 15 up. Jasmine capitalized, cutting it to the top left to grab the win for a 1-0 series lead after a shaky finish. The Meteors' Dani figured it out in game 2, playing a bit more cautiously compared to a bold effort from the Cascades' Jasmine, who tried riskier shots with the lead. Dani made the last two shots on cuts after a back-and-forth exchange, tying the series at 1 with her win. Game 3 was expected to be a bit cagey, but that never came to pass, as the first half was a frantic exchange of chippy runs, and the second half saw Jasmine take the win with a seven-ball run-out. Jasmine clinched the series at 2-1 to head to the second round.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Wings v. Jasmine. The previous series winner heads north to face a veteran on a new team in 9-ball with the red cue. Central's Wings made quick work of Freedom's Jasmine in game 1, with a five-ball run from the break and a three-ball run-out to sandwich the one ball she made. Wings leads the series 1-0. The Warriors' Wings didn't have the same offensive drive in game 2, unable to string his runs for very long. The Cascades' Jasmine took advantage at the end of the game on a four-ball run-out for the win, using good positioning to tie the series at 1. Jasmine and Wings started well in game 3, but when they both missed tap-ins on the 6, things turn chaotic. Jasmine got three of the last four balls, including the 9, taking the series 2-1 as she advances somewhat ungracefully into the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Bryant v. Caitlin Woode. More in-fighting with Humanity Senior players, as the silver cue comes up for Accuracy here. Southridge's Caitlin held on after an early miss in game 1, managing to get Maplewood's Bryant to fall into a tie to force overtime. Here, the players made it through half the rack before Bryant missed, and Caitlin secured a 1-2 win for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw a worse break from the Defenders' Caitlin, leading to a bit more difficulty for the players. This struck the Lumberjacks' Bryant harder, and while Caitlin did falter late, she held on win 3-4, securing the series at 2-0. Caitlin had no answer for a near-perfect game 3 performance by Bryant, struggling to keep pace and falling behind too far. Bryant won the game 1-3, but Caitlin advances to the second round on a 2-1 series win.
Apple Center, Todavía: Prism v. Cowzart. Players on new teams keep up the 9-ball heavy schedule for today, using the blue cue this time. Westside's Cowzart showed more urgency in game 1, including a four-ball run that unsettled Todavía's Prism greatly. Cowzart picked up the win in the end with a nice cut on the 9 for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw a slightly better effort by the Stills' Prism, but she still had a lot of holes in her game. She didn't get the chance to finish the performance, as the Rockers' Cowzart poked the 9 into the top left for the win, clinching the series at 2-0. Cowzart wasted no time in getting game 3 going with a four-ball run from the break. Prism had very little on the counterattack, and Cowzart made the last pair of shots later for the win to earn the series sweep at 3-0 as he heads into the second round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Caitlin Woode v. Sydney Sierota. The silver cue gets another appearance, this one in 10-ball. Southridge's Caitlin took a stab at a 1-10 combination after Harrison's Sydney illegally potted the 8 early in game 1, but she missed. Sydney made the same play, but scratched, and the action returned later in the game, with Sydney on a four-ball run before Caitlin took two and missed the 10. Sydney got the tap-in for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw frustrations and tensions rise early on, especially as the Defenders' Caitlin exhibited some struggles. Then, the Specters' Sydney smashed a six-ball run-out, the surprising burst clinching the series at 2-0 in her favor. Sydney had a pair of three-ball runs to lead off game 3, but it would be Caitlin with the four-ball run-out on her second turn to take the win. Sydney advances to the second round on a 2-1 series win.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Ruby v. Rosalina. A struggling captain takes on a hyped sophomore in 9-ball with the silver cue. Game 1 went fairly evenly between the players, with Archtown's Ruby a bit better early on, but Diamond's Rosalina surging late to take the last two balls for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Rosalina nearly got the 9 on the break, leaving it near the top right. When Rosalina missed on the 2 at the top side, the Arrows' Ruby took a crack at the 2, and got the cue to drift back to pot the 9 in the top right for her win, tying the series at 1. Ruby and Rosalina kept things close in game 3, battling to the last ball, which Rosalina drilled to the bottom left for the win and 2-1 series win. Rosalina compounds Ruby's troubles by advancing past her into the second round.
Apple Center, Todavía: Sierra v. Bianca. The last series today is 12-ball with the blue cue between an aunt and niece. Todavía's Sierra looked a bit shaky at the start of game 1, making a mental mistake, but she had a late four-ball run to pressure Southridge's Bianca, and the play worked. Sierra would pick up her last ball before Bianca positioned herself, giving the host a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Sierra gave up a wild-card ball on the break in game 2, but she made it work with a balanced attack to oppose the four-ball run produced by the Defenders' Bianca. Sierra held defensive positioning long enough to shake Bianca, and then picked up the win to clinch the series at 2-0. Bianca had a much better performance in game, using a wild-card ball to her advantage as she pressured and eventually beat Sierra. The host Sierra still took the series 2-1 to move into the second round.
That's all for Tournament play today. Elite cricket will be on Twitter @UnitedPCL in just minutes.
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