After one day off, Tournament play is expected to be conducted three days in a row before the next break. We begin this session with...
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Shawn v. Gradley. Two talented veterans clash in Rotation with the red cue to lead things off. Boston's Gradley set the tone in game 1 with a five-ball run on his first turn, including a double-pot of the 4 and 13 to the right corners. Gradley cruised to the finish with only a little resistance form Midland's Shawn, winning 8-2 for a 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Shawn started a bit better in game 2, getting a three-ball run in for the early lead while the Swifts' Gradley scratched around. Gradley stayed persistent and made a late rally, eventually winning 8-6 thanks to a ridiculous kick on the 12 to the top left. Gradley clinched the series at 2-0. Shawn kept the lead for most of game 3, and this time he was able to rebuff Gradley's late rally, winning 8-6 to cut the series to its 2-1 final score. Gradley moves on to the second round.
Microsoft Center, Southern: Dominic v. Strawberry. Players on new teams take the second series in 7-ball with the silver cue. Southern's Dominic had a flurry of attack in game 1, getting a ball on the break and striking on two other turns, winning with the last pair of shots to beat a lackluster effort from Victoria's Strawberry. Dominic leads the series 1-0. The Monarchs' Dominic had all of the possession in game 2, including a six-ball run on his second turn, but he scratched while making the 7, gifting the win away to the Spurs' Strawberry to tie the series at 1. Dominic's game 2 mistake would end up costing him the series, as Strawberry converted the 7 on the game 3 break to the top right, never letting the host get a chance to win the series. Strawberry walks away with a 2-1 series win, much to the chagrin of the partial home crowd.
Ebay Center, Queens: Violetta v. Shelley. A hotshot sophomore tangles with a returning veteran in Rotation with the blue cue. Queens' Violetta got off to a nice start, but she had trouble developing a true run. The 8 gave both players trouble in game 1, but Violetta eventually broke through, holding off Infinity's Shelley to win 8-3 for a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Violetta scratched on the break in game 2, sacrificing her chance at the early lead. The Torpedoes' Shelley had a three-ball run, which Violetta answered on a five-ball run, and the game was close up to the end, where Shelley found a four-ball run-out for the 8-7 win, tying the series at 1. Violetta found a breakthrough in game 3, rallying herself ahead of a flustered Shelley late in the game before sealing the 8-4 win for a 2-1 series win. Violetta advances to the second round.
Ebay Center, Queens: Hannah v. Missy. We keep the venue, the cue, and the event the same in this multifaceted doubleheader. Capital City's Missy did well in game 1, building up her lead early and keeping Queens' Hannah a minimum of two shots back for most of the game. Missy ended up winning by an 8-4 score in the end, good for a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Hannah had a better effort in game 2, watching the Sharpshooters' Missy take two balls from the break but then only get one more after that. Hannah used short runs and ended with a pair of shots a couple of turns after a three-ball run put her well ahead. Hannah won by an 8-3 score, tying the series at 1. In game 3, Missy jumped out to an early lead, but Hannah kept her honest defensively in the middle of the game. Hannah then took the lead and cruised from there, winning 8-5 to claim the series 2-1. Hannah is off to the second round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca v. Brownie. The Southeast hosting Southwest duels continue with this 15-ball series played with the silver cue. Southridge's Bianca brought excitement to an otherwise dull game 1, making the 6-15 combination two shots after Tysini's Brownie missed contact on the 5. Bianca's combination play earned her a win and 1-0 series lead. Game 2 followed the course of play pattern set in game 1, with neither player finding any meaningful runs. The grueling game came to a close as the Hummingbirds' Brownie made the last two balls, topping the Defenders' Bianca this time to tie the series at 1. Brownie looked at her best in game 3, striking with an early pair on the break and adding a late five-ball run, but Bianca pulled off an 11-15 combination to the top right to stop Brownie in her tracks. Bianca's ability to end games early gave her a 2-1 series win to take into the second round.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Peach v. Jennifer Livilotti. Big stars for Urban teams meet in Rotation with the silver cue. Terrace City's Jennifer didn't have to take long to gain the lead over North Modernistic's Peach, and she finished well too, with a three-ball run before a kick shot a couple of turns later for the 8-3 win. Jennifer holds a 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Peach wouldn't let things go that easily, keeping the Knights' Jennifer pinned back for almost all of game 2. Peach shut things down on a four-ball run-out at the end, winning 8-2 to tie the series at 1. Jennifer jumped out to a lead in game 3 with a three-ball run, and while Peach had a four-ball run later to nearly tie the game, Jennifer sidestepped the attack and made two more balls to win 8-5, taking the series 2-1 in the process as she advances to the second round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Puff I v. Lorde. The red cue returns to action in this series of 10-ball. Capital City's Lorde had the better of play in game 1 early on, but it didn't last, as Modernistic's Puff I created a four-ball run-out at the end to take the win and move ahead 1-0 in the series. The Sharpshooters' Lorde matched a three-ball run early in game 2 from the Union's Puff I, and then doubled down at the end, winning on a three-ball run-out after Puff I chipped her shot on the 8 wide right. Lorde's strong play in this game tied the series at 1. Puff I had a large portion of possession in game 3, including a late three-ball run, but she missed on the 10, and Lorde cut it into the bottom right for the win, taking the series with her at 2-1. Lorde got by despite some rough play to see the second round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Dusty v. Shiny. The silver cue returns to play in 12-ball. Golden's Dusty made two balls on the break and kept herself in good positions for most of her shots. A bold combination attempt saw her scratch to was out a potting of the 1, and Web City's Shiny made a charge from here, but illegal contact gave Dusty ball-in-hand for a three-ball run-out. Dusty won, taking a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw a less impressive break and distribution for the Pilots' Dusty, but after a few turns she had the lead, and the Spiders' Shiny was not in good defensive positioning. Dusty eventually made easy shots on her last two balls, clinching the series at 2-0. Dusty had nothing in store after scratching on the break in game 3, and Shiny took a three-ball run on her first and last turns to get the win. Dusty still won the series 2-1, heading into the second round.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Blizzard v. Ice Cream. The silver cue keeps up a busy schedule with this 9-ball series. Game 1 went very slowly, as neither player could make a shot with regularity. Boston's Ice Cream had a jumbled shot to pot the 6, but it was Blizzard taking the 2-9 combination after a scratch by Ice Cream that settled the result. Blizzard leads 1-0 in the series. The Swifts' Ice Cream had a better performance in game 2, getting a three-ball run and then making the last two shots to defeat the Eagles' Blizzard, tying the series at 1. Blizzard had a miracle run in game 3, making eight straight shots with a little luck, but Ice Cream poached the 9 at the end to steal the series 2-1 with the win. Ice Cream advances to the second round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Blizzard. The British Derby is renewed with a lot of star-power in 12-ball with the blue cue. Everton's Blizzard had the better start in game 1, taking an early lead, but Lighton's Acorn defended well until he could piece together an attack with a pair of shots on each of his last two turns. Acorn got the win for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was a much tougher grind for the two players, with the Eagles' Blizzard taking the sides early but getting nil for positioning on the corners. The Prestige's Acorn had a better go of things, but he still had to avoid Blizzard's defense, and it took him a long time to finally pot his last two balls, securing the series at 2-0. Blizzard and Acorn battled a bit in game 3, with Acorn again having the inside line to success, and while Blizzard came close, a miss on her last shot set up Acorn for the win. Acorn took the series in a 3-0 sweep to advance to the second round.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Twilight v. Kyle. A star takes on a returning veteran in 15-ball with the red cue. An error-filled game 1 sees Queens' Kyle walk away with a win despite all-around better play by Central's Twilight. Her biggest mistake was letting Kyle get ball-in-hand, as he made the 6-9 combination, then the 6 with the 15 established for a 7-15 combination to win on a three-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Twilight had a bit more urgent play early in game 2, but the Flames' Kyle matched her pace. Things got stale around the 10, but Kyle would eventually make five of the last six balls to take the win and secure the series at 2-0. Kyle strangely had the better of possession in game 3 throughout, but a late miss on the 14 opened the door for Twilight to make two shots at the end for the win. Kyle advances to the second round on a 2-1 series win.
Intel Center, Diamond: Pedey v. Dominic. The final series sees a couple of veterans meet in 12-ball with the silver cue. Diamond's Pedey had a solid break and got through the solids a bit faster than Southern's Dominic could pot the stripes. It came down to positioning, and Pedey got the win by cutting the 4 to the top left for a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Dominic had game 2 in his hand, working a three-ball run before sending his deflection shot wide. The Gems' Pedey took over to make his last two balls two turns later for the win, clinching the series at 2-0. Dominic again came close to getting the win in game 3, but he again missed easy shots, allowing Pedey to come from behind and take the win for a 3-0 series sweep as the host makes it to the second round.
That's all for today. Weather permitting that there's power tomorrow, Tournament and Select cricket will both be played.
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