Another day of standard appearances for Tournament play, beginning with...
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Lionel v. Slinks. Club-mates for Brute Force and Urban Division rivals meet in 15-ball with the silver cue to start the day. Westside's Slinks played a cleaner game 1 than did Commerce's Lionel, with the latter seeing many turnovers for illegal shots. Slinks closed her strong win with a three-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Slinks took a step back in possession in game 2, especially noticeable when the Tradewinds' Lionel put up a late four-ball run. Lionel's only failure here was missing the 15 twice, the latter time without contact, which allowed Slinks to poach the win from ball-in-hand to clinch the series at 2-0. Slinks kept a low profile again in game 3, and Lionel made sure to finish what he started with a five-ball run-out to win this time. Slinks still took the series 2-1, punching her ticket to the second round. Lionel takes three bids into the second round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Waluigi v. Cassie. A struggling sophomore takes on a perky rookie in Accuracy with the red cue. Lighton's Waluigi fell behind early, and while some struggles in the middle of the game tied things up, Royal's Cassie made a late bank to preserve a 2-3 lead for the win and 1-0 series lead after Waluigi stumbled earlier. The Crowns' Cassie fell behind when she scratched on the break in game 2, but she kept things close, and managed to get the Prestige's Waluigi to miss twice late in the game. Cassie then made a shot to secure another 2-3 result, clinching the series at 2-0 as Waluigi couldn't retie the game. Cassie had a much better break in game 3, and Waluigi quickly fell behind. Once again, the scoring remained close, but Cassie held the lead the whole time, winning 2-3 to complete the aesthetically pleasing 3-0 sweep. Cassie will visit the Swordpoint Blades' Dreamy in the second round. Cassie has four bids to work with in the second round.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Taylor Swift v. Boots. The silver cue's split doubleheader in Commerce wraps up with more 15-ball here. Pearl's Boots showed a much better focus in game 1, keeping Commerce's Taylor limited to bad shots. Boots made good on her early effort by making four of the last five balls for the win after Taylor couldn't quite pot the 15. Boots leads the series 1-0. The Surfers' Boots started out patiently after scratching on the game 2 break. The Tradewinds' Taylor made some early progress on offense, but Boots unleashed an eight-ball run, and the made the last two shots a turn later when Taylor couldn't pot the 14. Boots secured the series at 2-0 with the binge of shots. Boots went on a similar surge in game 3 with another eight-ball run, but she missed the 14. Taylor missed contact with the 14, giving Boots a chance to win, but she then rattled the 15 out of the top left, and Taylor made the tap-in to salvage a win. Boots won the series 2-1, and will visit the earlier winner Slinks in the second round at the Westside Rockers' home table. Taylor will play three bids in the second round.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Panda v. Sparkles. Two of Oriental United's players meet in 9-ball, the blue cue's last first round series in the event. Golden's Sparkles came to play in game 1, with a pair of balls on her first turn and a four-ball run on the next. Southern's Panda had chances to look dangerous over his next two turns, but shaky misses allowed Sparkles to tap in the 9 for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Panda picked up the pace after an aggressive game 2 break from the Pilots' Sparkles. Panda showed off his skills on choppy but effective turns, holding off Sparkles until he could get the win for himself, tying the series at 1. Panda opened with a three-ball run in game 3, and while Sparkles never matched that single-turn effort, she kept herself close and potted the last two balls when Panda butchered a shot on the 8. Sparkles won the series 2-1, and will move on to visit the Tysini Hummingbirds' Brownie in the second round. Panda will have five bids going into the second round.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Yekaterina Vasilyeva v. Summer. A strong third-year hosts a rookie for Accuracy with the red cue. Victoria's Yekaterina had a fairly dominant game 1 appearance, never letting the lead go after Maplewood's Summer had an early miss. Yekaterina forced Summer into a couple more late misses, securing the 1-3 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Yekaterina didn't enjoy game 2 as much, falling behind early and never getting a chance to catch up the Lumberjacks' Summer, who won 3-5 to tie the series at 1. Yekaterina did have a nice kick to save herself from more embarrassment on the last shot. Yekaterina played very cleanly in game 3, saving her misses for later on after Summer was already behind. Yekaterina did nearly fall into a tie, but she held on to win 2-3 to take the series at 2-1. Yekaterina will host the Web City Spiders' Shiny in the second round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Sparkles v. Solaris. A veteran gets her second series today, playing 15-ball with the blue cue against a sophomore. Golden's Sparkles seemed to have the first surge in game 1, but Infinity's Solaris controlled the middle of the game well. Momentum shifted again just in time for Sparkles to do most of the late work for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Solaris made sure to sustain his pressure deeper into game 2, allowing the Pilots' Sparkles to star early on before taking over with a six-ball run. Solaris missed his first try on the 15, but Sparkles missed contact on a sharp cut attempt, and Solaris took it on the second try from ball-in-hand, tying the series at 1. Tensions rose high while shot quality dropped in game 3. Solaris tried to play it off as a method for frustrating Sparkles, but that proved to backfire when her unusually aggressive shooting helped her win the game and the 2-1 series. Sparkles will host Hannah of the Queens Flames in the second round.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Fluffina v. Beth. The silver cue returns to action now in 7-ball between veterans. Game 1 saw a first half dominated by silly combination attempts by both players, which suddenly ended as Pearl's Beth erupted for a seven-ball run-out and the stunning win over Infinity's Fluffina. Beth holds a 1-0 series lead. The change in style of play in game 2 saw a little less time devoted to messy shots, but the Surfers' Beth still had a four-ball run-out to give herself the series at 2-0 over a hapless Torpedoes' Fluffina. Fluffina had an early three-ball run in game 3 to establish herself, but after a sloppy middle portion, Beth emerged with another four-ball run-out to take this game as well. Beth swept the series 3-0, and will visit the Westside Rockers' Misty in the second round.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Sage v. Dreamy. A Southwestern Derby between Solid Core club-mates sees the silver cue play another 7-ball series. Victoria's Sage gave herself a quick advantage in game 1, potting the 7 on the break to the top side for a 1-0 series lead over Swordpoint's Dreamy. The Spurs' Sage struggled a bit more in game 2, especially as she watched the Blades' Dreamy piece together a well-weighted four-ball run. Dreamy didn't get another run off, missing the 7 at the top left, where Sage tapped it in to secure the series for herself at 2-0. Dreamy salvaged a game for herself in game 3, keeping Sage limited to low-probability shots. Dreamy's second turn saw a three-ball run-out, with the 5-7 combination to the top right acting as the winner. Sage stills advances on a 2-1 series win to host the Central Warriors sophomore Mario in the second round, one of her six bids to continue on.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shiny v. Josie. The red cue jumps into this one, mediating 15-ball between the host veteran and visiting rookie. A tight start to game 1 gave way to Web City's Shiny playing delicately while Oceanside's Josie developed a scratching issue. Shiny picked up the slack in the end with a three-ball run-out, giving her a 1-0 series lead with the win. The Waves' Josie took a step forward in game 2, while the Spiders' Shiny retreated a bit, leading to a much more balanced game. Still, Josie's late misses cost her, as Shiny was there to bank in the 15 to the bottom side for the win, sealing the series at 2-0. Shiny had a five-ball run early in game 3 and a four-ball run near the end, but a scratch ended the latter run, and Josie took the 15 as one of only a few shots going in her favor in the game. This made it a 2-1 series win for Shiny, who advances to host the Pearl Surfers' Beth in the second round. Josie will play five bids in the second round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Hughbert v. Tigerette. A big test for a sophomore awaits when a star pays a visit for 9-ball with the red cue. Commerce's Tigerette took a predictably large portion of possession, making seven of the nine balls over the course of three turns. Southridge's Hughbert stalled her at times, but couldn't stop her, and Tigerette won for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 featured much sloppier play, including a long chase on the 1. After some slow play, the Tradewinds' Tigerette saw a lucky bounce off the 7 send the 9 into the top side, only for the cue to then deflect unfortunately to the bottom side for a scratch. This gifted the win to the Defenders' Hughbert, tying the series at 1. Tigerette dominated in game 3, using a seven-ball run to rattle Hughbert, who managed to make the 8 but couldn't bank the 9 to the bottom side. Tigerette sent it there directly instead, securing the series at 2-1 and giving herself a second round visit to the Southern Monarchs' Avril.
Intel Center, Diamond: Citrus v. Sugar. A pair of veterans return us to 7-ball with the silver cue. A number of chipped shots in game 1 kept possession alternating regularly between the players, until Diamond's Citrus took the win with a pair of shots at the end for the 1-0 series lead over Web City's Sugar. The Spiders' Sugar deserved better than she got in game 2, working a five-ball run only to miss on the 6. The Gems' Citrus made sure to end the game quickly, making the last two balls for the win to clinch the series at 2-0. Citrus went from start to finish all in one turn in game 3, making a seven-ball run-out from the break to sweep Sugar 3-0. Citrus will stay at home in the second round in this event, hosting Royal Crowns rookie Cassie.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Missy v. Stephanie Livilotti. We'll end the day with 12-ball and the red cue. Capital City's Missy made a stripe on the break, and had more fortunate positioning throughout game 1, easily holding off Southridge's Stephanie for the win. Missy leads the series 1-0. The Defenders' Stephanie roared back with a three-ball run on her first turn of game 2. The Sharpshooters' Missy had a tough time getting anything aligned, and once she did, Stephanie took only two more turns before picking up the win to tie the series at 1 with her quick attack. Stephanie made a pair of shots on the break in game 3, but she allowed Missy too much time to get back into the game. Stephanie's extensive set-up work was undone by one miss, and Missy made her last shot easily to take the series 2-1. Missy will host the Midland Predators' Rainmane in the second round.
That's all for today. We'll wrap up a successful return week tomorrow with a standard set.
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