The last day of the first week in the second round is here, with a standard set of games to be played. First up...
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Cleo v. Hughbert. The blue cue begins a busy day in 10-ball between soft-shooting veterans. Southridge's Hughbert had little trouble finding his shot in game 1, making a five-ball run that ended in a scratch. Everton's Cleo made one ball after this, but Hughbert took the last two for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Eagles' Cleo made a much more convincing attack in game 2, switching roles with the Defenders' Hughbert in this one. Cleo had a six-ball run and a pair of shots at the end to tie the series at 1 after both players struggled early on. Game 3 saw a balanced battle between the players, which came up favoring Hughbert as he made the last two balls. Hughbert took the series 2-1, and will return home as the visiting player against his Defenders teammate Bianca in the third round.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. B. Chapman. The blue cue stays on for Rotation in the second series of the day. Pearl's Watermelon didn't have an easy time in game 1, but she showed far more command than North Modernistic's Chapman, and this helped Watermelon win 8-2 with a three-ball run-out to cap it off. Watermelon has a 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Watermelon had a top-10 break in game 2, potting four balls (one in each corner) and adding another point on the next shot. The Nighthawks' Chapman managed to get one ball in before an unlucky scratch led Watermelon to an 8-1 win on a three-ball run-out to clinch the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw a less explosive break from Watermelon, and the initial turns left things very close between her and Chapman. Watermelon broke out on a four-ball run-out at the end for the 8-4 win, sweeping the series 3-0 to earn a third round series at home against the Queens Flames' Hannah.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Katelynn v. Gradley. The Hutton Cup's Cola Wars series gets a preview in 8-ball with the blue cue. Lighton's Katelynn unleashed a five-ball run on her second turn in game 1, threatening Boston's Gradley, but the visitor replied with a pair of three-ball runs before taking the 8 after his defense held when Katelynn missed her cut on the 8. Gradley tapped it in for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley popped a five-ball run from the break in game 2, pressuring the Prestige's Katelynn early on. Katelynn made a slow rally back later on, but her defense didn't hold, and Gradley took the win on a pair of late shots to secure the series at 2-0. Katelynn controlled the early pace of game 3 as well, but Gradley turned it around with a five-ball run later on. Gradley lost his momentum with a scratch, but bounced back and won with a three-ball run-out when Katelynn failed to capitalize. Gradley swept the series 3-0, and will be the host in his third round series.
Apple Center, Todavía: Bells v. Frosty. Veterans in their second years with their teams clash in Accuracy with the silver cue. Both players looked strong in game 1, although Stonebridge's Frosty faltered mid-game. Frosty forced Todavía's Bells into two late misses, but couldn't convert the last ball herself, allowing Bells to take the 2-3 win for a 1-0 series lead when she made it on her second try. The Stills' Bells saw a drop-off in quality in game 2, as she had three misses in quick succession. The Wolves' Frosty had some troubles too, but not as badly, and Frosty took the 2-4 win with smart shooting at the end. Frosty's win tied the series at 1. Frosty had a competitive effort in game 3, but a late mistake again cost her, dropping her into a tie and giving Bells control. Frosty missed twice more before the game ended, as Bells took a 2-4 win for a 2-1 series win. Bells will host a series in the third round. Frosty is the first player to finish this year, putting her Wolves future in doubt, while Bells records the season's first kill.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Panda v. Celestia. The silver cue gets another look in a Coastal Derby edition of 7-ball. Plenty of missed chances littered game 1 until Oceanside's Celestia banked the 3-7 combination to the top right to get the win and a 1-0 series lead over Southern's Panda. This proved a critical shot, as the Waves' Celestia struck the 7 into the top left on the game 2 break, a bump from behind the shattered rack shattering the chances of the Monarchs' Panda advancing. Celestia holds a 2-0 series lead after the remarkable shot. Celestia tried to play defense in game 3 before establishing herself, but her miss on the 2 set up a six-ball run-out Panda executed to salvage something from the series. Celestia still advances with a 2-1 series lead, ready to visit the Terrace City Knights rookie Quincy in the third round.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Tigerette v. Bear. A marquee series of the round is this Industrial Derby captains' battle in 15-ball with the silver cue. Commerce's Tigerette shot well in game 1, and got some help from the fans in throwing Whitewater's Bear off his game with early fouls and late misses. Tigerette made the last six balls over two turns for the win and a 1-0 lead in the series. The Tradewinds' Tigerette didn't have as much of a dominant touch in game 2, but she still induced a number of errors by the Shores' Bear. Tigerette slowly worked her way to the finish, winning with a jam bank of the 15 to the top side to seal the series at 2-0, sending the rivalry-frenzied crowd into mania. Tigerette eased off the throttle again in game 3, and actually ceded a lot of possession to Bear on his four-ball run and late pair of shots. Tigerette still slammed the door with a pair of shots to win in the end, taking the 3-0 series sweep and a hosting position in the third round.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Shawn v. Peach. The blue cue returns to action in this 9-ball series. Midland's Shawn seemed to have good luck early in game 1, but that faded when North Modernistic's Peach worked well with narrow shots on the right side of the table. Peach pieced together a four-ball run-out to get the win, earning the 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Peach didn't slow down at all in game 2, making a pair of balls on the break and running the table in the next seven shots for a clean win. The Predators' Shawn would have tried to force Peach into longer shots, but he never got the chance as she secured the series at 2-0 in great form. Peach didn't have as good of a game 3 as she wanted, making a three-ball run that Shawn immediately answered. Peach tried to get tricky after Shawn missed on the 7, but she scratched, and Shawn ended the game on a three-ball run-out. Peach took the series 2-1, and will play in the third round.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Roxy v. Melissa Benoist. The blue cue stays on for a series of 12-ball out in the hills. Freedom's Roxy had a good break but illegally potted a ball to start game 1. Terrace City's Melissa produced a bit of offense off of this, but never found a second surge, and Roxy patiently worked her way to the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Roxy didn't change her strategy for game 2, which was working fine until she had a scratch. This gave the Knights' Melissa a chance to catch up a bit, and Melissa did more than that in the end, grabbing the win to tie the series at 1. Melissa made one of each suit on the break in game 3, yielding a wild card ball to Roxy. The game stayed close initially, but Roxy had far better positioning when she made a three-ball run-out to claim the win and a 2-1 series win. Roxy will host her third round series.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Wild Thing v. Peach. The silver cue plays its last series today in 15-ball. Archtown's Wild Thing had a decent performance in game 1, his best shot being the cut to the bottom right to win as the 15 fell. North Modernistic's Peach looked a bit shaky at times as Wild Thing cautiously paced the game en route to a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw tempers begin to flare as shot quality dropped dramatically. The Nighthawks' Peach accounted for most of the dangerous chances on the 15, and she beat the Arrows' Wild Thing with an unintended 12-15 kick combination to the bottom right to tie the series at 1. Wild Thing had a dominant share of possession in game 3, making a four-ball run before missing on the 8. This led to an unfortunate position for the host, as Peach banked the 8 off the top rail and bumped the 15 to the top left for the win and a 2-1 series win. Peach will go on to host a third round series.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Panda v. Midnight. The blue cue will begin again after a break, playing 8-ball between veterans. Westside's Midnight began with a four-ball run before game 1 took a turn towards slow play. Some excitement near the end saw Panda give Midnight a ball before she scratched to give it back. Midnight then made a risky play by removing Panda's defense, but the play worked and she won for a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Midnight had a strong second turn in game 2, a six-ball run to pressure the Monarchs' Panda, who made a three-ball run but came no closer. Midnight iced the win easily with a pair of shots to clinch the series at 2-0. Panda had his best chance to steal a game in game 3, but Midnight's slow offense still proved to be fast enough in the end to take the series in a 3-0 sweep. Midnight will visit the Boston Swifts' Gradley in the third round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shiny v. Summer. A Northeastern Derby is renewed in 9-ball with the blue cue. Neither player could get an extended run going in game 1, but Web City's Shiny looked likely to win until she missed on the 9. Maplewood's Summer uncorked a heavy shot that drilled the 9 to the bottom left to put the visitor up 1-0 in the series. Game 2 went much the same way as the one before, with a lot of choppy play along the way. The Spiders' Shiny lost her cool after making the 6, rattling the 7 out of the top side. This led to the Lumberjacks' Summer taking the win on a three-ball run-out, which in turn clinched the series at 2-0. Summer cranked a four-ball run late in game 3, the best stretch of offense for either player, but she rattled the 9 out, and Shiny took the win to make it a 2-1 series. Summer will play on into the third round.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Brownie v. Precious. The blue cue brings the day to an end with this Accuracy series. Pronger's Precious lost the game within three turns, missing each of her first three shots. Tysini's Brownie slipped up later in the game, but held on for the 2-4 win to take a 1-0 series lead with confidence. Both players took a step forward in game 2, playing much more cleanly early on. The result didn't change, as the Tridents' Precious only briefly forced the Hummingbirds' Brownie into a tie before missing again to produce the 1-2 win for Brownie, who secured the series at 2-0. Brownie played a near-perfect game 3, getting Precious to miss a couple shots early and late. Precious got a little revenge when Brownie scratched on her final shot to tarnish an otherwise spotless 1-4 win. Brownie did sweep the series 3-0, earning her spot in the third round.
That's all for this week in Tournament play. We'll be back with new games on Monday, with the Hutton Cup likely premiering right after that. Premier cricket will wrap up today's activities.
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