We've got a standard day today after three days off. Tournament play will see another day off tomorrow before resuming in full on Thursday. Today's action begins with...
Apple Center, Todavía: Sierra v. Rudolph. The blue cue gets the first series today, playing 8-ball between a star and a rookie. Harrison's Rudolph struck early in game 1, getting a productive first two turns while Todavía's Sierra floundered. When Rudolph found a three-ball run-out late, Sierra was too far behind to try to counter it, and Rudolph grabbed a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Sierra made an immediate impact with a seven-ball run on her first turn of game 2. She missed the 8 four times, allowing the Specters' Rudolph to chip his way back into the game, but Sierra had no trouble picking up the win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 featured close play between the two opponents, but Rudolph broke free with a five-ball run-out at the end, earning the win and the 2-1 series win. Rudolph is off to visit the Boston Swifts' Sweetheart in the second round.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Americus v. Crystal. Veterans clash as the blue cue takes another 8-ball series. Midland's Americus made a strong attack with a five-ball run, but she was stalled by a scratch. Queens' Crystal tried to counter, but her attacks were less efficient, and Americus went unchallenged on the 8 to pick up the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Americus went off for a six-ball run early in game 2, but when she got onto the 8, she couldn't get a clear look. The Flames' Crystal hung back and played defense until a four-ball run-out opportunity emerged, which she converted for the win to tie the series at 1. Crystal kept the pressure high in game 3, the close game eventually falling her way when Americus couldn't make contact with a heavily defended 12 at the top right. Crystal made a pair of shots for the win and took the series 2-1, earning the right to visit the Stonebridge Wolves' Vladimir in the the second round.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Cleo v. Oreo. The rhyming veterans meet in a series of 7-ball as the red cue debuts for the day. Everton's Cleo couldn't sustain her earlier runs in game 1, wasting a three-ball run as she scratched. Terrace City's Oreo took the win with two shots from ball-in-hand, good for a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Oreo was lucky to see the 2 fall late on the game 2 break, as it set her up for a deflected shot off the 1 to pot the 7 at the top right. The stunning trick shot caught the Eagles' Cleo looking, as Oreo clinched the series at 2-0 to deny Cleo a chance to even the series. Cleo went off after a couple of quiet turns in game 3, making a six-ball run but scratching as the 6 fell in the top left. Oreo took the 7 from ball-in-hand, an admittedly stolen win to complete her 3-0 series sweep that takes her to the second round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Katelynn v. Boots. The red cue remains in action as the event shifts to 12-ball between these veterans. Lighton's Katelynn had a ball on the break and received a favorable distribution in game 1, working a three-ball run to pressure Pearl's Boots. The visitor Boots abandoned her defense far too early, allowing Katelynn an easy path to the win and 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Boots had the advantage in game 2, finding it much easier to get in position this time. The Prestige's Katelynn tried to maintain a defensive presence, but Boots got around her and made her last shot at the bottom left for the win, tying the series at 1. Boots and Katelynn tangled again closely in game 3, with Katelynn holding on defensively but suffering a late scratch that opened things up for Boots to take the win and 2-1 series win. Boots will visit the Central Warriors star Dustin in the second round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Stephanie Livilotti v. Violetta. Popular sophomores clash in 9-ball with the red cue. Southridge's Stephanie made a late push with a three-ball run, including a deflected bank shot on the 8, but Queens' Violetta took the 9 after Stephanie left it short at the top right. Violetta leads the series 1-0. The Defenders' Stephanie answered with a confident appearance in game 2, getting a couple of good runs in, including a three-ball run-out to best the Flames' Violetta at the end. Stephanie's late push tied the series at 1. Stephanie had an early three-ball run in game 3, but Violetta countered that with a pair of three-ball runs to sandwich a scratch by Stephanie. Violetta's fast push gave her the 2-1 series win, and she'll visit the Archtown Arrows' Wild Thing in the second round.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Sage v. Celestia. More 9-ball is on the way with the red cue, as a unique rookie meets a strong sophomore. Victoria's Sage tried and failed to cut the 2-9 combination to the bottom right in game 1, but Oceanside's Celestia made the 9 and scratched on a deflection play, leaving the win and 1-0 series lead in Sage's control anyway. The Spurs' Sage had a good late run in game 2, but it still took her a chase on the 9 to get the win. The Waves' Celestia left things mostly to bank shots, and Sage had a couple of close calls before eventually potting it to secure the series at 2-0. Sage failed to take control of game 3, allowing Celestia to develop a bit of offense, and she took the 9 as well to avoid the sweep. Sage won the series 2-1, and will host the Pronger Tridents' Spot in the second round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Spirit v. Josie. A longtime star hosts a quick-learning rookie in Rotation with the silver cue. Lighton's Spirit gradually built up a lead early in game 1, only to see Oceanside's Josie pull level with a six-ball run. In the sprint for the finish, Spirit made the last pair of balls to win 8-6 for a 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Spirit had the first two leads in the game 2, and she looked in good shape to win after a tough middle part of the game, but the Waves' Josie pulled back to win 8-6 on a five-ball run-out at the end, tying the series at 1 with the fierce rally. Josie did her best in game 3, dominating possession as Spirit had more errors than potted balls in this one. Josie took the win easily at 8-1, and she won the series 2-1, setting up a road series against the Westside Rockers' Midnight in the second round.
Apple Center, Todavía: Bells v. Ruby. Two experienced veterans meet in Accuracy with the silver cue. Todavía's Bells had some shaky moments in game 1, but she held on pretty well at the end, picking up the 3-6 win as Archtown's Ruby floundered late in the game. Bells leads the series 1-0 thanks to her stronger finish. Game 2 went in a number of directions, as the Arrows' Ruby and Stills' Bells exchanged leads before ending up tied at the end of regulation. Ruby blasted a ball in on the overtime break, and there were only four balls on the table when Bells finally missed, giving Ruby the 3-4 win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 was a jumbled mess in the middle of things, but Bells emerged with the same lead she went in with, and held on to win 4-5 at the end, defeating Ruby 2-1 in the series. Bells heads to the second round.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Mams v. Stripes. Back in Rotation, the blue cue administers a series between veterans. Game 1 was all Viewpoint Sound's Mams early on, as she put herself on the verge of a win, but a multi-turn rally from Freedom's Stripes and a late scratch by Mams turned the 8-7 result in favor of Stripes, who now leads the series 1-0. The start of game 2 was a bit more muddied, but a five-ball run by the Meteors' Mams gave her a lead even with a scratch at the end. The Cascades' Stripes scrapped her way back into the lead, and pulled off a three-ball run-out in the end for an 8-6 win, banking the 14 to the bottom side to clinch the series at 2-0. Stripes saved the drama for later, taking a quick six-ball run in game 3 after a scratch by Mams, and she would later kick in the 9 and pot the 12 on a cut for the 8-4 win. Stripes swept Mams 3-0 to make it to the second round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Katelynn v. Max. The blue cue comes full circle to play 8-ball again between two fairly average players. Lighton's Katelynn had a poor break in game 1, but it ended up hurting Atlantic's Max later in the game. Katelynn eventually worked a five-ball run to pull ahead, and then made two shots on her last turn for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Katelynn spared the comeback story in game 2, instead attacking with a six-ball run to establish her lead before winning two turns later by bumping the 8 off of a defending ball left by the Pirates' Max and into the bottom side. Katelynn's heady play gave her a 2-0 series lead. Katelynn couldn't get her offense going in game 3, succumbing to a pair of nice four-ball runs by Max. Included on the first was a double-pot that saw the 10-9 combination to the top right and the deflected cue drop the 13 at the bottom right. Katelynn still won the series 2-1, and will host the Boston Swifts' Gradley for a Cola Wars Derby in the second round.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Salmo v. Dusky. A rookie takes on a veteran in 10-ball with the red cue. Game 1 went back and forth between the two players. Eastside's Salmo had a good shot at the end, but he illegally potted the 10, and Archtown's Dusky took over possession, making the last two shots for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Dusky had a decent break in game 2, but she couldn't develop much possession until a three-ball run in the middle of the game. The Sharks' Salmo quickly answered this with a three-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Salmo had a majority of the possession in game 3, but despite the four-ball run and three-ball run, Dusky got the 10 at the end and took the win. Dusky will travel to face the Oceanside Waves' Josie in the second round after taking this series 2-1.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Wild Thing. Today's final series is an A-line Derby in 7-ball with the silver cue. Atlantic's Delila was about a quarter of a ball away from making a ball on the break, and this was critical, as Archtown's Wild Thing hit the 1 to bump the cue into the 7, sending it to the top right for his win. Wild Thing holds a 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Wild Thing had to do a bit more work in game 2, but he made a ball on the break and closed with a three-ball run-out to take the series 2-0 over the Pirates' Delila, who just didn't have her best this time. Wild Thing still paced play in game 3, but he couldn't get by Delila this time, as she picked up a couple of late shots for the win, including the deflected clincher on the 7. Wild Thing still won the series 2-1, and he will visit the Modernistic Union captain Ms. Puppy in the second round.
That's all for today's games. We'll wrap up the second round of the United Cup tomorrow if all goes well, and then Tournament play will resume for a minimum of five straight days beginning Thursday.
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