Tournament play returns today even with the round wrapping up soon. First up today...
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Bright v. Avril Lavigne. The silver cue gets the start today, playing 8-ball. Pearl's Bright held the lead for virtually all of game 1, making a solid on the break and adding a four-ball run on the next turn. Southern's Avril had some offense, but never caught up to Bright, whose win gives him a 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Bright had some good moments in game 2, but too many scratches prevented him from breaking away. The Monarchs' Avril played defensively and it paid off, as Bright would miss the 8 at the end, allowing Avril to win on a tap-in while tying the series at 1. Bright had another scratch after a four-ball run in game 3, allowing Avril to get onto the 8 with a pair of pacey turns. Bright shut the door from here with a four-ball run-out, snatching the game and the 2-1 series when he put the 8 in the bottom left. Bright will host Capital City Sharpshooters rookie Pauline in the second round.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Stinky v. Snowball. A veteran meets a legend in 12-ball, also using the silver cue. Freedom's Stinky had a ball on the game 1 break to pick up the stripes, and finished the game two turns later with a well-made three-ball run-out to get by Swordpoint's Snowball, whose lack of offense has her in a 1-0 hole in the series. The Cascades' Stinky made a three-ball run from the break in game 2, but the Blades' Snowball quickly fired back with her own three-ball run to pull even. In the ensuing battle for positioning, Snowball managed to get the better of Stinky at the top left, and that helped her take the win a few turns later, tying the series at 1. Stinky had a little offense in game 3, but he scratched twice to go back to the beginning. Snowball, meanwhile, used the extra time to set herself up, and then just barely took the win as Stinky mounted a furious comeback. Snowball took the series 2-1, and will visit the Eastside Sharks' Chelsea in the second round. Snowball advances five bids, while Stinky has only two going forward.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Misty v. Tigerette. Captains of Urban regional rivals meet in an epic Accuracy series with the red cue. Commerce's Tigerette fell behind early in game 1, but Westside's Misty would join her for a tie in the middle of the game. Tigerette's second miss led to her setting a trap for Misty, who didn't fall for it. Misty banked the 6 from near the bottom side to the top right to secure the 1-2 win and 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Misty played a perfect game 2, with many of her shots very simple compared to tougher angles for the Tradewinds' Tigerette. Misty took the win by a score of 0-3, with Tigerette's misses coming early and late, and Misty secured the series at 2-0. Tigerette had a better game 3 performance, keeping Misty honest throughout. Tigerette then left Misty a tough shot late in the game, and Misty missed, allowing Tigerette to win 2-3. Misty took the series 2-1, and will host the Victoria Spurs' Wario in the second round.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Beth v. Boots. The blue cue takes its turn in Accuracy in an all-Surfers series. Beth and Boots went a long time before either player missed, working together for a fast game 1. Boots fell first, and missed again on the last ball. Beth also couldn't pot the last ball, resulting in her win being 1-2 as Boots finished the game. Beth leads the series 1-0. Beth made a ball on the break in game 2 as well, and amid the chaos of a stretch of misses in the middle of the game, she held onto the last shot advantage. Boots couldn't grab the lead from Beth during this stretch, and then missed on her second-to-last shot as Beth took the 4-5 win to clinch the series at 2-0. Beth tried to show kindness to her teammate in game 3, but Boots couldn't maintain a lead at any stage of the game. Boots missed her last two shots, and Beth claimed the 3-5 win for a 3-0 series sweep. Beth will host the Todavía Stills' Anton in round two.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Gal Gadot v. Stripes. The silver cue returns to action in 10-ball between a rookie and a veteran. North Modernistic's Gal had a lackluster break in game 1, causing some difficulty early on. Freedom's Stripes benefited later on, making a seven-ball run-out to grab the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Stripes made two balls on the break, and then had to battle with the Nighthawks' Gal in the middle of the game. Stripes had a four-ball run, but her illegal potting of the 10 gave Gal the option to defer back to Stripes, which she did. Stripes missed, but Gal did as well, and Stripes took game 2 on her third attempt at the 10. Stripes sealed the series at 2-0 with the crazy finish. Stripes didn't dominate in game 3, but when Gal missed contact with the 9 late in the game, Stripes had an easy time making the last two balls for the win and the 3-0 series sweep. Stripes is off to a road series against the Pacific Volcanoes' Twinkie I in the second round. Gal still advances with six bids in the next round.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Spot v. Whiskers. The silver cue remains in play for 12-ball now between players on the rise. Pronger's Spot had a three-ball run from the break, but took a scratch soon after to alleviate a cluster of his stripes at the bottom right. Maplewood's Whiskers controlled the middle of the game, but her late scratch paved the way for Spot to get better positioning and the win in a race to the top left. Spot leads the series 1-0. The Tridents' Spot sank one of each suit on the break in game 2, but chose solids. This worked out well, as the Lumberjacks' Whiskers had only a three-ball run on her final turn, followed by Spot tapping in his last two balls for the win and a 2-0 lead in the series. Spot couldn't find his offense in full force in game 3, allowing Whiskers to dictate more of the pace on her own. Whiskers started well, faded a bit in the middle, and then rallied to win on a vicious kick of the 6 to the top right. Spot took the series at 2-1, and will host the Atlantic Pirates' Max in the second round. Whiskers will carry five bids in the next round.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Watermelon. A Coastal captains' battle awaits in 7-ball with the red cue. Pacific's Starlight sacrificed precision for aggression in game 1, and it didn't work out so well. Pearl's Watermelon put up a lucky three-ball run-out, getting the 4 and 5 to bounce just right to send the 4 to the top side. Watermelon made the next two shots easily for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Watermelon made a four-ball run in game 2 off the break, and then made the 5 and 7 to the left corners after the Volcanoes' Starlight scratched on her only shot. Watermelon's tricky finish secured the series in her favor at 2-0. Watermelon had a three-ball run on her second turn and a nice piece of defense to stop Starlight. Watermelon then made a four-ball run-out on the next turn, earning the 3-0 series sweep by doing so. Watermelon will visit the Diamond Gems' Cassandra in the second round, one of her four advancing bids, while Starlight moves on with three bids.
Sprint Pitch, Victoria: Yekaterina Vasilyeva v. Kodiak. Two young players go at it in Rotation with the blue cue. Victoria's Yekaterina struck first in game 1, but Modernistic's Kodiak fired back with force eventually, taking a massive lead. Yekaterina recovered some of it, but another three-ball run put Kodiak well ahead, and he won 8-4 at the end with a tap-in after Yekaterina's illegal contact. Kodiak leads the series 1-0. The Spurs' Yekaterina answered with a quick four-ball run in game 2, and added a later three-ball run. The Union's Kodiak tried to provide a counterattack, but he scratched twice in the game, and Yekaterina went on to win 8-3, tying the series at 1. Game 3 went back and forth between the two players, ultimately favoring Yekaterina by an 8-6 margin when she went on a late surge to beat Kodiak. Yekaterina will host Queens Flames rookie Briana in the second round.
Sprint Pitch, Victoria: Yekaterina Vasilyeva v. Shiny. The host completes a home doubleheader in 10-ball with the silver cue against a more experienced foe. Victoria's Yekaterina made a ball on the game 1 break, but watched as Web City's Shiny made six balls over two turns to get onto the 10. Shiny somehow missed it at the bottom side, and Yekaterina poached the win on a tap-in for a 1-0 series lead. Luck was on the side of the Spurs' Yekaterina in game 2 as well, after some sloppy play early on. The Spiders' Shiny tried to make a run but faltered quickly, and Yekaterina won on a three-ball run-out that ended with a two-rail 6-10 kick combination to the top side to clinch the series at 2-0. Yekaterina had a great break in game 3, leading to a quick battle between the players. Short runs were the key, and Yekaterina's miss on the 9 allowed Shiny to make two balls at the end for a close win. Yekaterina took the series 2-1, and will host the Midland Predators' Americus in the second round, one of her six advancing bids, while Shiny continues with five bids left.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Shaggy. Two veterans meet in 12-ball as the silver cue takes another turn. Whitewater's Shaggy had some work to do after Boston's Puff II made a three-ball run from the game 1 break. Shaggy met the challenge with a four-ball run, and patiently waited to attack the top right, eventually picking up the win with a tap-in for a 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Shaggy scratched but claimed solids on the game 2 break, leaving the Swifts' Puff II to deal with an ugly spread on stripes. Shaggy would make a five-ball run on her second turn, pressuring Puff II, who managed to sink four balls but no more than that. Shaggy eventually tapped the last solid to the bottom left for the win and the series at 2-0. Puff II had an aggressive attack in game 3, making a number of shots early on. Shaggy tried to build a counterattack, but it was no use, and Puff II ultimately made a pair of shots on her final turn to get the win. Shaggy moves on with a 2-1 series win, visiting Todavía Stills sophomore Prism in the second round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Jeremias v. Valencia. The red cue returns now to wrap up its obligations in 15-ball for the first round. Golden's Valencia had a lot to like about game 1, with a four-ball run and a lot of luck on her side. Royal's Jeremias made sure to get his share, chipping in here and there before curving the cue off the 5 to pot the 15 in the bottom right for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Valencia saw things go more her way in the second round, lacing run after run to keep the Crowns' Jeremias pinned. Jeremias had a few chances to break out, but those died when Valencia potted a five-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 brought the pace down to a crawl, as both players exercised a load of caution with their shots. Valencia opened up on a three-ball run, and Jeremias took a pair after that, only to lose when he rattled the 15 out of the top right. Valencia put it in the bottom right to take the series 2-1, and she will visit the Southern Monarchs' Hoppy in round two. Valencia will play four bids in the next round.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Bear v. Spot. The silver cue will wrap up the day in 8-ball between a captain and a sophomore. Whitewater's Bear had a nice start in game 1, but Pronger's Spot kept things interesting with occasional bursts of offense. They both got down to the 8 at about the same time, and Spot called a bank to the top side, but the 8 fell in the bottom side, gifting the win and 1-0 series lead to Bear. The Shores' Bear took a bit more control of the offense in game 2, answering a pair of three-ball runs by the Tridents' Spot with four-ball runs of his own creation. Bear's second run saw him position very well, cutting the 8 to the bottom right for the win and 2-0 series lead at the end. Bear started slowly in game 3, but it didn't bother him much. Spot got a few balls out of the way, and then Bear stormed in with a five-ball run-out to secure the 3-0 series sweep. Bear will host the Infinity Torpedoes' Shelley in the second round. Spot will have four bids to play in the next round.
That's all for today, with more pool on the way tomorrow after Premier begins their Week 21 schedule on Twitter @UnitedPCL.
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