We're back for the last game day of the week, with a regular twelve series to be played. We begin with...
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Missy v. Acorn. A strong veteran and a captain meet in Accuracy with the silver cue. Lighton's Acorn missed first in game 1, but Capital City's Missy soon followed with a pair of misses to fall behind. Acorn flirted with danger at times, but maintained the lead until the end, winning 3-5 to take a 1-0 series lead. Both players made improvements in game 2, but by the same rate, as the Prestige's Acorn missed only one shot after building a big lead. The Sharpshooters' Missy had three misses, leading to Acorn's 1-3 win to clinch the series at 2-0. Acorn didn't have much left in him for game 3, making a mess of his later shots in particular as Missy would also falter before winning 3-6. Acorn took the series 2-1, and will play on the road against the Pronger Tridents' Zach in the second round, one of his five advancing bids. Missy takes four bids into the next round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Kiwi v. Twinkie II. Quiet captains battle in 8-ball, also using the silver cue. Terrace City's Kiwi chunked a six-ball run on her second turn, while Harrison's Twinkie II preferred a pair of three-ball runs to get onto the 8. Twinkie II ended up being a turn late, as she left the 8 aligned at the top side, and Kiwi made it for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Kiwi had a three-ball run on the break, which the Specters' Twinkie II answered with a three-ball run of her own for a quick start to game 2. Kiwi then made another three-ball run, but also illegally potted the 8, gifting the win to Twinkie II, which tied the series at 1. Kiwi started with a five-ball run that ended in a scratch on her first turn. Twinkie II made small attacks here and there while Kiwi scuffled, but Kiwi shut things down, winning game 3 on a four-ball run-out. Kiwi took the series 2-1, and will host the Victoria Spurs' Yekaterina in the second round, one of her five bids to continue.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Diddley v. Spice. Another pair of captains goes at it in 12-ball with the silver cue. Maplewood's Diddley had a three-ball run from the game 1 break, and when Victoria's Spice let her defense slip, he positioned his last ball at the bottom side. Diddley won a couple of turns later, taking an easy 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Diddley had a sloppier break in game 2, making one of each suit. This gave the Spurs' Spice some extra flexibility, and she used it to defend the last pocket Diddley needed until she could line up and convert her last ball for the win. Spice's savvy two-way play tied the series at 1. Spice got nothing on the game 3 break, allowing Diddley an early burst of offense. Diddley later had a scratch while trying to position himself, and he never recovered, watching Spice take her corner shots over three turns for the win to clinch the series at 2-1. Spice will visit a club-mate in the Eastside Sharks' Gizmo in the second round. Both players move forward with five bids intact.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Juno v. Avril Lavigne. The blue cue pops in for a turn in Accuracy. It wasn't easy for either player in game 1, with clean shots difficult to come by. Southern's Avril fell far behind initially, only to see Stonebridge's Juno nearly tie it twice towards the end. Juno held on for a 5-6 win, barely managing to take a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Juno had a worse start to game 2, falling far behind, but she managed to make the Monarchs' Avril miss five of her last six shots. Juno picked up the pieces each time Avril missed, marching on to a 3-6 win to secure the series at 2-0. Juno played a much better game 3, missing only a single shot this time. Avril also made improvements, but not enough, falling by a 1-3 score as Juno earned the 3-0 series sweep. Juno will host the Lighton Prestige's Spirit in the second round, one of her six bids to advance, while Avril has three bids moving on.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Lorde v. Kodiak. Back in 12-ball, a third-year faces a rookie with the silver cue returning to action. Capital City's Lorde had Modernistic's Kodiak dead to rights in game 1 after the latter illegally potted a ball. Lorde made one shot to the top left, but twice missed contact on her last ball, allowing Kodiak two turns from ball-in-hand, during which he made five shots for the win and 1-0 lead in the series. The Union's Kodiak made a pair of solids and one stripe on the break of game 2, electing to keep the solids. Lorde had to take a couple of positioning turns, but she would eventually end the game on a three-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Lorde had a strong break in game 3, and didn't have to do too much to get in position later on. She had a three-ball run to get onto her last ball, but nearly let Kodiak back in the game when he got down to his last ball as well. Lorde made a defensive kick, and it blocked just enough of the shot to see Kodiak miss contact. Lorde took the win from ball-in-hand, claiming the series at 2-1 and earning the right to host the Diamond Gems' Pedey in round two. Kodiak has four bids going forward.
Apple Center, Todavía: Bells v. Patches. An enigmatic veteran meets a superstar captain in 8-ball with the silver cue. Game 1 saw Boston's Patches strike first on offense, but she also scratched. Todavía's Bells played a sloppy style early on as well. Patches was the first to find her form, and she picked up the win later with a three-ball run-out for a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Bells continued to have difficulty creating and sustaining offense in game 2, holding even with the Swifts' Patches for awhile but falling off the pace at the end. Patches broke through shortly after that with another three-ball run-out, securing the series at 2-0 with this win. Game 3 saw some better starting offense from Bells, but it didn't last throughout the game. Patches was onto the 8 after two productive turns, and then made the 8 despite Bells' attempt to play defense. Patches took the series in a 3-0 sweep, and she'll visit the Southern Monarchs' Dominic in round two. Bells has only two bids in the second round.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Misty v. Stealth. More 8-ball is on the way, but this time with the red cue. Westside's Misty had a decent effort in game 1, especially early on, but she slackened her pace near the end, and Swordpoint's Stealth gathered a five-ball run-out to take the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Misty recovered in a tight game 2, doing enough to block a similar run from the Blades' Stealth this time. Misty then nearly took the 8 on one turn before making it on the next one, tying the series at 1 game apiece. Misty had nothing on the game 3, and Stealth sparked to life with a seven-ball run, leaving Misty in a frenzy. Misty missed on her second turn as well, and Stealth cut the 8 to the top left for the win and a 2-1 series win. Stealth will visit the Victoria Spurs' Sage in the second round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Waluigi v. Twinkie III. The silver cue returns to action here in another series of 12-ball. Lighton's Waluigi had a good break and managed to get down to his last ball in game 1, but Whitewater's Twinkie III built a stiff defense at the top right. Waluigi tried to tap the last ball into position, but potted it illegally, and Twinkie III went on a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand to take the win and a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 went at a slower pace, but still saw the Prestige's Waluigi work on an early lead. Waluigi couldn't avoid scratching a couple of times, derailing his offense, and allowing the Shores' Twinkie III to pick up her last two balls from the kitchen the latter time. Twinkie III banked the 3 to the bottom left, then cut the 7 to the top left to seal the series at 2-0 with her win. Twinkie III got the short end of the stick in game 3, as Waluigi made a three-ball run early on and patiently waited for his chance to pot his last ball at the end. The moment came when Twinkie III missed contact on her shot, and Waluigi won from ball-in-hand. Twinkie III still won the series 2-1, and she will visit the Golden Pilots' Dusty in the second round. Twinkie III has four bids going forward, while Waluigi has just one of his own.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Fluffina v. Lorde. The red cue ends its Accuracy series for the round in this Southwestern Derby. Infinity's Fluffina quickly fell behind in game 1, scratching on the break, and it took about half the game for Capital City's Lorde to miss. Fluffina tried to bait Lorde into misses from here, but it backfired, and the slow finish gave Lorde a 2-6 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Sharpshooters' Lorde made a ball on the break of game 2, but her positive play would dwindle as the game went on. The Torpedoes' Fluffina twice dropped into a tie with Lorde, but the visitor's third miss sealed the game at 2-3 for Fluffina, tying the series at 1. Fluffina again dipped into laziness with some of her shots, directly costing her the game with poorly-timed misses. Lorde played a near-perfect game anyway, winning 1-5 to take the series 2-1. Lorde will travel to Golden to face the Pilots star Dusty in the second round. Fluffina takes three bids to the next round.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Hershey v. A. Charlton. A rookie takes on a veteran as Accuracy is again the game, but this time with the silver cue. Stonebridge's Hershey gained an early lead when Golden's Charlton had a brutal miss on her first turn of game 1, and that would be the difference in an otherwise even game, as Hershey took a 2-3 win in the end for a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Charlton went off in game 2, doing a double-pot at one point and then regaining the last shot advantage when the Wolves' Hershey scratched. Hershey wouldn't be able to keep it close, missing twice more as Charlton stayed perfect in a 0-3 win to tie the series at 1. Charlton kept up her status in game 3, missing only once early to drop into a tie with Hershey. Charlton wouldn't miss again, while Hershey ran up quite the deficit in this one, giving Charlton a 1-6 win and 2-1 series win by the end. Charlton will visit Atlantic Pirates sophomore Isabella in the second round, one of her four bids to advance, while Hershey's rookie campaign has just one bid remaining.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Princess v. Strut. A captain fallen on hard times opposes a veteran strong as ever in 8-ball with the red cue. Tysini's Princess had the lead from the start of game 1, never getting shaken even as Golden's Strut made a short rally near the end of the game. Princess remained ahead until she could pot the 8 at the top left for the win, putting her up 1-0 in the series. The Hummingbirds' Princess had a worse break in game 2, leaving two main clusters behind. The Pilots' Strut eventually broke through with a four-ball run, and then added a nice kick on the 8 at the end to the top left for the win. Strut's tricky play helped him to tie the series at 1. Princess struck first with stripes in game 3, and Strut's early scratch nearly led to him getting shut out. Princess played around too much trying to get onto the 8, and Strut made her pay for it with an eight-ball run-out, coming all the way back to take the game and the 2-1 series win. Strut visits the Westside Rockers' Slinks for a second round series, one of five bids he'll advance.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Puff II. Teammates for the Boston Swifts as well as club-mates for Reality, these two stars clash in 10-ball with the silver cue to end the day. Patches made the 10 on the game 1 break, but struggled after that, twice missing contact. Puff II capitalized on the later moment, making the last two balls for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Puff II had the series in her hands late in game 2, making a four-ball run after alternating pairs of shots with Patches for most of the game. Puff II made the 10 to the top right, but scratched, and Patches made it cleanly on the next shot for the win to tie the series at 1. Patches had the better of play in game 3, but a tense and sloppy ending mixed everything up. Patches scratched while potting the 9, but Puff II missed the 10 from ball-in-hand, and then Patches rattled it into the bottom left for the win. Patches' narrow win gives her a 2-1 series win, and she will host the Whitewater Shores' Marsell in the second round, one of her six advancing bids.
We'll return with United Cup and Tournament action on Monday after taking the weekend off.
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