Tournament 2018 - Round 2 Day 32

We're ready to close up the second round of this year's Tournament, and with it, the last of the three-game sets for the Tournament. First up today...

FedEx Arena, Eastside: Cubby v. Chimpy. The blue cue starts the day in Rotation between two returnees. Modernistic's Chimpy worked his way up to a nice lead in game 1, but Eastside's Cubby worked to infringe on it in the middle of the game. Chimpy shot back, a three-ball run-out good enough for him to 8-4 for the 1-0 series lead. The Union's Chimpy had a better break in game 2, but he struggled after that. The Sharks' Cubby held the lead for almost all of the game, and Cubby took the win 8-5 at the end, tying the series at 1 in another slow-developing game for offense. Cubby didn't have a great break for the game, but he pulled together a large opening run. Chimpy fired back over a couple of turns to tie the game, making it close in the middle before Cubby smashed a three-ball run-out to win 8-5, taking the series 2-1. Cubby will host the Lighton Prestige captain Acorn in the third round.

AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Celestia v. Ms. Kitty. A rising star meets a strong veteran in the blue cue's last Rotation series of the round. Pacific's Ms. Kitty established a lead in game 1 with a three-ball run, and then backed it up on a later push. Oceanside's Celestia cut into the deficit near the end, but Ms. Kitty finally closed out the win at 8-5, taking a 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty controlled game 2 early on as well, building up a decent lead, but a scratch on the 10 ruined her performance. The Waves' Celestia took her time in making a comeback, but did take a pair of shots at the end to win 8-7, tying the series at 1. Celestia had an empty break in game 3, but she made a run on her second turn. Ms. Kitty had a couple of good moments, but Celestia locked down the result at 8-3 after Ms. Kitty missed on the 11. Celestia took the series 2-1, and will host the Royal Crowns' Cassie in the third round.

Apple Center, Todavía: Easter v. Gal Gadot. The blue cue continues its opening stretch in its 7-ball finale for the round. Todavía's Easter threatened early in game 1 but couldn't make it any more than that, while North Modernistic's Gal delivered a five-ball run-out on her second turn, ending with a bank to put the 7 in the top side for a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Easter had a five-ball run on her first turn in game 2, but it didn't matter, as both players butchered chances to take the win with the 7 near the top left. The Nighthawks' Gal missed contact from tap-in range, gifting Easter the win to tie the series at 1. Easter and Gal combined for a very close game 3, with each making a pair on their first turns. Easter then missed a shot on the 5 on her second turn, and Gal took over for a final pair to get the win and a 2-1 series win. Gal will travel to Queens to oppose Flames hotshot Violetta in the third round. Easter is the fourteenth player to exit the Tournament, and Gal now holds the kills lead with two.

AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Dewey v. Gizmo. After the break, the blue cue play another series in 10-ball. Oceanside's Dewey got on a run toward the end of game 1, making a three-ball run, but he missed on the 10, and Eastside's Gizmo struck for the win to take a 1-0 series lead after an unremarkable start. The Waves' Dewey stood a bit stronger in the end of game 2, countering some mixed offense from the Sharks' Gizmo earlier in the game. Dewey's winning push was a four-ball run-out, using excellent positioning to give himself the win to tie the series at 1. Gizmo looked fine toward the end of the game 3, after having battled pretty evenly with Dewey for much of the game. Gizmo executed a three-ball run-out for the win and a 2-1 series win. Gizmo will visit the Terrace City Knights' Quincy in the third round.

Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Jason N. v. Bryant. The red cue ends its 9-ball obligations for the round in this series. Swordpoint's Jason went on a four-ball run late in game 1 after sharing the offense with Maplewood's Bryant early on. Jason just missed on the 9, and Bryant was there to clean it up for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Bryant didn't do much to pull away from the Blades' Jason, but the close split in offense didn't go Jason's way. Bryant had an easy pair of shots on his final turn for the win, clinching the series at 2-0. Bryant had arguably his best game in game 3, making a five-ball run to get onto the 9. Jason had a decent chance to steal the win, but he missed on the 9, and Bryant made the tap-in to make it a 3-0 series sweep. Bryant will host the North Modernistic Nighthawks star Cheddar in the third round.

Nissan Hall, Infinity: Shelley v. Cassie. The silver cue makes it last 15-ball appearance of the round in this series. Infinity's Shelley had a slight edge in possession in game 1, and although Royal's Cassie made some good matching runs later in the game, Shelley closed out a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand after Cassie scratched. Shelley leads the series 1-0. The Crowns' Cassie had the best opportunities in game 2, making a four-ball run and adding a couple of pairs later as she took the game to the Torpedoes' Shelley. Cassie did miss on the 15 at the bottom right, and Shelley came through to make it, winning to secure the series at 2-0. Cassie again had some dangerous moments on offense, but Shelley took the better of play this time, and then cleaned up another miss on the 15 by Cassie. Shelley swept the series 3-0, and will host the Boston Swifts' Ice Cream in the third round.

Google Hall, Modernistic: Daisy v. Sierra. The blue cue comes back in action to finish off its 10-ball series. Modernistic's Daisy had a significantly better game 1 than did Todavía's Sierra, dominating possession with mostly short runs. Sierra had a chance to poach the game late, but she missed on the 9, and Daisy came through in the end for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Sierra took a major step forward in game 2, owning a majority of possession thanks to a four-ball run mid-game, but she missed on the 9, and the Union's Daisy made a pair of shots to win in the end. Daisy secured the series at 2-0. Rattled shots throughout game 3 frustrated both players, none more than Daisy's miss on the 10 on her first attempt. Sierra took the 10 on her second try, getting the win to avoid the sweep. Daisy took the series 2-1, and will host the Pacific Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty in the third round.

Toyota Arena, Freedom: Jasmine v. Avril Lavigne. These players are set for another meeting in the third round, but play 12-ball with the blue cue this time. Freedom's Jasmine put together a productive game 1, striking early and always finding good positions, while Southern's Avril only had mediocre defense. Jasmine beat the defense easily, earning the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Jasmine gave away a wild-card ball on the game 2 break, and the Monarchs' Avril had a four-ball run on her second turn to make things interesting, but Jasmine made a pair of balls after that and used defense to put the ball in the one spot Avril couldn't work with. Avril missed contact on a cut attempt, giving Jasmine ball-in-hand for her last shot, which she converted for the win and 2-0 series lead. Jasmine tried to go full offense in game 3, while Avril made a strange but effective defensive play at the top left. When both players got down to their final ball, Avril let the defense go, and she made her final shot on the next turn after Jasmine couldn't convert. Jasmine did win the series 2-1, and will visit the Pacific Volcanoes' Twinkie I in the third round.

Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Snowball v. Josie. The blue cue's last series of the round is in this 8-ball battle. Oceanside's Josie got a start from a bad break by Swordpoint's Snowball in game 1, and Josie used the narrow advantage as her buffer. Snowball remained a step behind for the whole game, watching as Josie made a pair of shots at the end for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Snowball again took too long to get going in game 2, and she had to play defensively at the end. The Waves' Josie was first onto the 8, and despite Snowball's defensive efforts, Josie kicked the 8 to the top right on her second try for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Josie didn't get a good start in game 3, and Snowball used that to her advantage initially. Josie did briefly pull ahead in the game, but Snowball roared to a five-ball run-out for the win to avoid the sweep. Josie advances on a 2-1 series win to host the Whitewater Shores' Twinkie III in the third round.

UPS Hall, Maplewood: Gabe v. Gizmo. The silver cue returns to action for a series of 8-ball between veterans. Maplewood's Gabe started off pretty well in game 1, but he couldn't find a way to make his last ball, allowing a pair of short runs from Eastside's Gizmo to be good enough for the win. Gizmo ended on a three-ball run-out, taking a 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Gizmo started better this time, but the Lumberjacks' Gabe pulled ahead in the middle. Gizmo made it close again, and then defended the bottom right from Gabe's last shot on the stripes. Gizmo held his ground and made the 8 on his next turn for the win, sealing the series at 2-0. Gabe had a quicker and smoother attack in game 3, keeping Gizmo at bay by finding successful shots on every turn. Gabe won it with a three-ball run-out, although Gizmo still took the series 2-1. Gizmo will visit the Terrace City Knights' Oreo in the third round.

FedEx Arena, Eastside: Graham v. Wild Thing. A pair of returnees meet in the penultimate series, as the red cue ends its round with Rotation. Eastside's Graham had a bit of a slow start in game 1, allowing Archtown's Wild Thing to build a lead. Graham surged back into the game in the middle, tying it up before using defense to slowly work to an 8-5 win while holding Wild Thing back. Graham is up 1-0 in the series. The Sharks' Graham came out hot in game 2 this time, pulling himself well ahead by the middle of the game. The Arrows' Wild Thing used a two-turn rally to tie the game, but a scratch negated his momentum, and Graham made a pair of shots for an 8-6 win to clinch the series at 2-0. Graham ripped in five shots over the first two turns of game 3, but his offense completely disappeared from there. Wild Thing didn't immediately pick up the slack, but he did slowly come back, winning 8-6 to avoid the sweep. Graham's 2-1 series win has him hosting Southlands Derby rival Leonardo of the Midland Predators in what promises to be a gritty third round series. Wild Thing is the fifteenth player eliminated, giving Graham his first kill of the year.

Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Dominic v. Patches. A journeyman and a captain meet to end the second round with the silver cue playing 8-ball. Southern's Dominic scratched on the game 1 break, allowing Boston's Patches to make a six-ball run that would also be truncated by a scratch. Dominic got up with a pair of runs, including a four-ball run-out to come from behind for the win. Dominic leads the series 1-0. Game 2 started with relative calm, but that went away when the Swifts' Patches made a short run for the lead. The Monarchs' Dominic shot back on a four-ball run to keep things close, but Patches evaded that with a three-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 1. Both players started pretty quickly in game 3, but slowed toward the end of the game. The tense finish came when Patches banked the 8 to the top right ahead of Dominic's second attempt on his last ball. Patches took the series 2-1, and will visit the Lighton Prestige's Spirit for a Cola Wars Derby in the third round.

That's all for this round. We will likely return on Tuesday, with administrative duties being performed for the Tournament today, maintenance on Monday, and a bit of set-up work for the Summer Development League later that same day.

Tournament 2018 - Round 2 Day 31

Today is the second-to-last day of the second round in the Tournament. We begin with...

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Kiwi v. Yekaterina Vasilyeva. The silver cue steps in first for a series of 8-ball. Terrace City's Kiwi had a productive game 1, needing only a handful of short run turns to get around an ineffective offense from Victoria's Yekaterina. Kiwi easily took the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Kiwi had another good start in game 2, but she lacked finishing skills late in the game this time. Despite a large deficit, the Spurs' Yekaterina made a rally, and ended up taking the win with a four-ball run-out at the end, good enough to tie the series at 1 somewhat unexpectedly. Yekaterina continued her surge into game 3, but she faded toward the end, allowing Kiwi to use a five-ball run to catch up. Kiwi would win two turns later after Yekaterina failed to make her third try on the 8. Kiwi took the series 2-1, and will host the Viewpoint Sound Meteors' Dani in the third round.

Intel Center, Diamond: Cassandra v. Sugar. The silver cue stays on for its last series of 10-ball in the round. Diamond's Cassandra came out firing in game 1, making two on the break as part of a larger five-ball run. Cassandra's offense flickered here, and Web City's Sugar won on her second turn with a deflected shot off the 6 to push the 10 to the bottom left. Sugar leads the series 1-0. The Gems' Cassandra followed up with a four-ball run on her first turn of game 2, and then added three more over her last two turns to control the game and take the win over the Spiders' Sugar. The series is tied at 1 now. Cassandra continued to dominate the offense in game 3, and it worked to her favor at the end, as Sugar missed on the 8 to leave Cassandra an easy deflection shot on the 10 for the win. Cassandra claimed the series 2-1 to earned the right to host the Maplewood Lumberjacks' Summer in the third round. Sugar is the twelfth player eliminated this year, with Cassandra taking her first kill.

Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Niki v. Kodiak. An Urban Derby sees the blue cue end its 15-ball slate for the round in its only appearance today. Commerce's Niki had an excellent start with an electric break in game 1, and Modernistic's Kodiak took a couple of early errors. Fortunes reversed by the end of the game, as Kodiak made the last four balls over two turns for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Niki had a later start to her push on offense in game 2, and the delay proved valuable, as she caught the Union's Kodiak in a mess at the end. Niki controlled the back half of the game and took the win, tying the series at 1. Niki had a good effort on defense in game 3, using it to keep Kodiak pinned back for most of the game. Niki never had a chance to strike early, and Kodiak grew into the game, picking up the win on his second try at the 15 after Niki missed both of her chances. Kodiak won the series 2-1, and will host club-mate and Atlantic Pirates star Klaus in the third round.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shadow v. Sydney Sierota. Arguably the best players in the Halloween Derby clash in 12-ball with the red cue. Web City's Shadow made a four-ball run from the break while also giving Harrison's Sydney a wild-card ball. Sydney shot back on a three-ball run and had plenty of chances to finish the game, but Shadow made his last ball at the top side on his fourth try, overcoming a stretch of poor shooting to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Shadow struck again on the game 2 break, and then got a lucky bounce when his miss on the 7 knocked the 6 to the bottom side while retaining position with the 7. The Specters' Sydney tried to catch up, but she never had a chance to execute a final run, as Shadow converted his last shot for the win to clinch the series at 2-0. Sydney had a big run on her first turn in game 3, but she had a bit of trouble getting her last ball aligned as the game progressed. Shadow took his time to start, but won with a pair of three-ball runs on consecutive turns, earning the 3-0 series sweep. Shadow will visit the Victoria Spurs' Wario in the third round.

Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Mitchell v. Kirstin. The silver cue plays its last series today after the lunch break in 8-ball. Harrison's Mitchell took a solid on the break of game 1, and he regretted it around the middle of the game. Everton's Kirstin clogged the top right, eventually releasing a five-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead on mostly short shots. The Specters' Mitchell did well initially to keep up with the Eagles' Kirstin in game 2, but with an even game, Mitchell made illegal contact and potted a ball for Kirstin. This allowed Kirstin to take two shots from ball-in-hand for the win, securing the series at 2-0. Mitchell likely had his best effort in game 3, setting the pace early but fading near the end. Kirstin pulled even and then edged ahead, narrowly taking the win away from Mitchell to make it a 3-0 series sweep. Kirstin will visit the Modernistic Union's Daisy in the third round.

Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Noelle v. Ice Cream. The red cue will play the rest of the series today, beginning with this 7-ball set. Both players went empty on their first turns in game 1, but Central's Noelle banked the 1 to spark a six-ball run-out, beating Boston's Ice Cream with a glancing shot off the 6 to push the 7 to the bottom right. Noelle leads the series 1-0. The Warriors' Noelle had a less graceful effort in game 2, receiving some pushback from the Swifts' Ice Cream, but Noelle did poke the 7 to the top left in the end for the win. Noelle secured the series at 2-0 with the finishing shot. Noelle did alright in the early parts of game 3, but Ice Cream roared back to take the win on a three-ball run-out capped by a 6-7 combination to the top left. Noelle took the series 2-1, and will host the Harrison Specters' Mitchell in the third round.

Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Missy v. Rainmane. Two experienced stars clash in the red cue's 12-ball finale for the round. Capital City's Missy made a four-ball run early on and received a wild-card ball from Midland's Rainmane early in game 1. Rainmane did have a three-ball run, but Missy persisted and made the 7 to the top side for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Sharpshooters' Missy made a pair of balls on the game 2 break, and it didn't take her long to get through the rest of the stripes, especially after the Predators' Rainmane illegally potted a ball. Missy lined up and converted her last shot on her fourth turn for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Rainmane needed only two turns in game 3, a four-ball run and then a pair of shots at the left corners, to get the game 3 win in shutout form. Missy still won the series 2-1, and will host the Boston Swifts' Ice Cream in the third round.

Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Shaggy v. Shiny. Two long-time veterans go at it in Rotation with the red cue. Whitewater's Shaggy used a defense first approach in game 1, which worked as she slowly built a lead, but Web City's Shiny pulled back with six balls over her last two turns before missing on the 15. Shaggy barely escaped with the 8-7 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Shiny did much better in game 2, and even converted a multi-ball combo that ended with the 10 going in the bottom right. The Shores' Shaggy had a couple of tricky plays as well, but not nearly enough offense as Shiny took the win 8-3 to tie the series at 1. Shaggy used a similar strategy as in game 1 for game 3, building her offense up slowly. Shiny again had a late three-ball run to nearly catch up, but Shaggy closed the door faster this time, winning 8-5 to take the series 2-1. Shaggy lived dangerously throughout the series, but will host the Infinity Torpedoes captain smudge in the third round after advancing.

Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sleepy B. v. Snuggle. Another Rotation series with the red cue is up next. Game 1 saw the players go back and forth, with Archtown's Sleepy B. taking a couple of cracks at the lead, only to be upstaged by Oceanside's Snuggle both times. Snuggle won with a three-ball run on his second go-ahead move, taking the 8-6 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Sleepy B. did not stay down for long, attacking wildly and effectively in game 2 to build a massive lead early on. The Waves' Snuggle had an insufficient counterattack, and Sleepy B. took the quick win at 8-2 to tie the series at 1. Sleepy B. and Snuggle tangled again in game 3, keeping things incredibly close for the first parts. Snuggle again found a pull-away move late, a three-ball run-out giving him the 8-5 win and 2-1 series win. Snuggle will visit the Royal Crowns' Nightfur in the third round. Sleepy B. is out of the Tournament, the thirteenth player to be eliminated, and Snuggle has his first kill of the year.

Chevrolet Center, Everton: Kirstin v. Potter. The host takes her second series today in 10-ball with the red cue. Everton's Kirstin made the 10 illegally on the game 1 break, but Pronger's Potter didn't seem to recover from the shock. Kirstin controlled possession and set herself up for a legal finish on the 10 to the top right at the end of the game, going ahead 1-0 in the series with her win. The Eagles' Kirstin opened with a five-ball run in game 2, keeping her offense strong early on. The Tridents' Potter fired back with a four-ball run, but took a narrow miss on the 10, and Kirstin made the tap-in to clinch the series at 2-0 after a brief fly on the table delay. Kirstin didn't have her best performance in game 3, struggling to find offense and scratching after missing on the 8. Potter took advantage to make a pair of shots for the win, cutting Kirstin's series win to 2-1. Kirstin will host the Freedom Cascades' Nikolai in the third round.

Toyota Arena, Freedom: Jasmine v. Ms. Kitty. Two very good players this year clash in 9-ball with the red cue. The two players battled evenly throughout game 1, with Pacific's Ms. Kitty looking more dangerous. Ms. Kitty made the 7-9 kick combination near the end of the game, but the cue drifted to the bottom left, gifting Freedom's Jasmine the win and 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty continued to take dangerous shots in game 2, scratching on her first turn and leaving the 8 at the edge of the top right after a failed 6-7-9 combination. Jasmine took advantage of the 8's placement on her third turn, and then proceeded to make a four-ball run-out for the win, securing the series at 2-0 as well. Jasmine had a four-ball run from the break in game 3, and watched as Ms. Kitty committed errors on her first two turns. Jasmine's only fault in the game was missing the 9, which Ms. Kitty tapped to the bottom left for a win to avoid the sweep. Jasmine heads to the third round on a 2-1 series win, and visits the Southern Monarchs rookie Avril.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: Ted v. Vincent Sullivan. The red cue ends the day with its last 10-ball series of the round. Web City's Ted did just about everything right early in game 1, but he scratched when he missed on the 8, and Viewpoint Sound's Vincent roared back on a three-ball run-out to steal the win. Vincent leads the series 1-0. The Spiders' Ted remained aggressive and bold in game 2, although at times it came off a bit reckless. The Meteors' Vincent elected to keep possession after Ted illegally potted the 8, but Vincent missed on the 9, and Ted banked it to the bottom side before sending the 10 to the top right for the win. The series stands tied at 1, waiting for a decisive finale. Ted and Vincent each took a little extra caution in game 3, although Ted brushed it aside to attempt the 8-10 combination to the bottom right. His shot failed, but Vincent made a similar shot for the win and 2-1 series win. Vincent will host the Harrison Specters' Mitchell in the third round.

That's it for today. Tomorrow, we end the week and the second round all at once.

Tournament 2018 - Round 2 Day 30

We're back for another day of Tournament play, returning to a morning start time that we've grown accustomed to recently. First up...

Toyota Arena, Freedom: Nikolai v. Spice. A talented veteran meets a captain in 15-ball with the blue cue in the first series of the day. Both players were unequivocally bad in game 1, but Freedom's Nikolai struck the 4-15 combination to the top left when the opportunity presented itself, beating Victoria's Spice for a shaky 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Spice took a positive step forward in game 2, getting three runs of at least three balls to dominate in possession. The Cascades' Nikolai had a chance to play defense late in the game, but Spice broke it with a four-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 saw the players mostly go back-and-forth at an acceptable pace, with Nikolai breaking the trend on a three-ball run-out in the end to get the win. Nikolai took the series 2-1 over Spice, and will host the Modernistic Union's Daisy in the third round.

Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Rosemary v. Luigi. An Urban Derby is the last Accuracy series with the red cue in this round. Commerce's Rosemary made a ball on the game 1 break, which was the extent of the positive play. North Modernistic's Luigi stayed close for awhile, but he faded at the end, and Rosemary held on enough to win 5-7 for a 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Luigi made a massive improvement in game 2, playing perfectly, while the Tradewinds' Rosemary stayed stagnant and plagued by scratches. The result was Luigi winning the middle game 0-5, tying the series at 1 and putting the host in a tough position. Rosemary had another pair of scratches in game 3, but this aligned to give her last-shot advantage. It worked, as regulation ended tied, but Luigi made a ball on the overtime break, leading to a flurry of turns that ultimately ended when Rosemary missed her fifth shot in overtime. Luigi won 3-4, and will visit the Boston Swifts' Patches in the third round after a 2-1 series win.

Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Jason N. v. Gizmo. The blue cue is back in this series of Rotation. It took a few turns to get the offense going, but Eastside's Gizmo erupted with a six-ball run-out after Swordpoint's Jason erred. Gizmo's highlight was double-potting the 3 and 4 to the right corners, and he won 8-0 for the 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Gizmo held a lead about halfway through game 2, but a miss on the 6 led to a long stretch of stagnation. The Blades' Jason lost his cool, and he never had a chance to simmer down, as Gizmo popped a four-ball run-out soon after that to win 8-3, clinching the series at 2-0. Gizmo made a mess of game 3 completely, letting Jason build up a large lead. Jason was on the brink of victory when shot quality dropped again, but he did pick up the 8-5 win to avoid the sweep. Gizmo's 2-1 series win puts him in position to host an Eastern Hills rival, the Pronger Tridents' Zach.

Kraft Forum, Royal: Jeremias v. Twinkie I. Another series of Rotation awaits, this one with the red cue. Royal's Jeremias had a decent performance in game 1, although he did briefly fall behind Pacific's Twinkie I. Jeremias corrected this on a five-ball run, and he would win 8-5 on his next turn, going ahead 1-0 in the series. The Crowns' Jeremias had a hot start in game 2, making a five-ball run on his second turn and winning two turns after that with a pair of shots, while the Volcanoes' Twinkie I saw no offense at all. Jeremias' 8-0 win sealed the series in his favor at 2-0. Jeremias had a rougher start in game 3, watching Twinkie I get all the way to the brink of victory with short runs. Twinkie I couldn't finish the job in the end, allowing Jeremias to rally all the way back on his last two turns for an 8-7 win. Jeremias swept the series 3-0, and he will host a Southeastern rival, the Golden Pilots' Strut, in the third round.

Toyota Arena, Freedom: Jasmine v. Gizmo. The visitor's second series today is in 15-ball with the blue cue much closer to home. Eastside's Gizmo seemed to have the better of play as game 1 progressed from an even start, but he missed the 14, and Freedom's Jasmine came up with a pair of shots to win on the final turn for a 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Gizmo played aggressively in game 2, especially after the break from the Cascades' Jasmine left the 15 near the top right. On his second turn, Gizmo connected with a 2-15 combination to the top right for the win, tying the series at 1. Jasmine and Gizmo both brought urgency to game 3, leading to a quick pace of play. Jasmine got a fortunate position around the middle of the rack, converting the 8-15 combination to the bottom side, and the 8 fell in the top side to make it a game-winning double-pot. Jasmine also took the series 2-1, and will host another Eastern Hills rival, the Stonebridge Wolves' Vladimir, in the third round.

Cisco Arena, Tysini: Charli v. Cobalt. The red cue comes back for this series of 10-ball between less experienced players. Stonebridge's Cobalt did a four-ball run in game 1, but didn't have much else to brag about. Tysini's Charli nearly gave the game away with a short-range miss on the 10, but Cobalt also missed, and Charli made it on the second try to go ahead 1-0 in the series. The Wolves' Cobalt started a bit slower in game 2, letting the Hummingbirds' Charli pace the attack early on. This strategy worked, as Cobalt struck late on a four-ball run-out to grab the win, tying the series at 1. Charli had a four-ball run near the middle of a tense game 3, loosening things up but then missing on the 7. This proved costly, as Cobalt made a three-ball run-out, measuring the perfect weight to cut the 10 to the top left for the win. Cobalt took the series 2-1, earning a trip back home to host the Midland Predators' Shawn.

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Jennifer Livilotti v. Paps. The silver cue is done with 12-ball for the round after this series. Tysini's Paps tangled with Terrace City's Jennifer early in game 1, but Paps broke out with better positioning at the end, and when Jennifer couldn't convert to the top left, Paps made his last shot at the top side for the win. Paps leads the series 1-0. The Knights' Jennifer showed just how dangerous she can be in game 2, striking for a five-ball run on her first turn. The Hummingbirds' Paps did well to make three balls over two turns, but Jennifer made her last shot to the bottom left on her second turn, earning the win to tie the series at 1. Jennifer wasted no time in game 3, making five balls over her first two turns to put immediate pressure on Paps. The play worked, as Jennifer made her final ball while Paps was still setting up his last shot. Jennifer won the series 2-1, and will visit the Swordpoint Blades' Dreamy in the third round.

Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Twilight v. Cubby. The red cue returns to action in this series of 9-ball. Central's Twilight managed to be productive in game 1 despite some scattered shooting, which threw Eastside's Cubby off his game. Twilight struck late on a short run to pick up the win, going ahead 1-0 in the series. The Warriors' Twilight came up with another win in game 2, despite rattling the 3 out of pockets twice, the first ending a four-ball run. The Sharks' Cubby had the same issue with the 6, leading to Twilight's 6-9 combination at the bottom side for the win. Twilight secured the series at 2-0. In game 3, Cubby fought back a bit more against Twilight, and he was rewarded when she whiffed on the 9. Cubby made it on his second attempt, and this left Twilight with a 2-1 series win. Twilight will host the Whitewater Shores' Marsell in the third round.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Beth v. Bandit. The silver cue gets a look in 8-ball in this series. Pearl's Beth had a good game 1, running circles around Swordpoint's Bandit early on. Beth got a bit lucky when she cut the 15 to the top left from a bad angle, setting her up nicely on the 8, which she also made for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Beth continued to just outplay the Blades' Bandit, starting right after Bandit missed his first shot. Beth was twice as fast on potting the solids in game 2, and she had no trouble on the 8 either, winning again to seal the series at 2-0. Bandit jumped out to a lead initially in game 3, but he stalled soon after that, and Beth was right there to rally herself ahead. Beth would pick up the win with a late pair of shots, sweeping the series 3-0. Beth will host a former Surfer, the Central Warriors' Wings, in the third round.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: Ted v. Gabe. A strongman against a veteran marks a Northeastern Derby in 7-ball with the red cue. Web City's Ted didn't look to be in a good position as Maplewood's Gabe launched a five-ball run, but Gabe missed on the 6 and Ted struck for a pair of balls at the end for the win. Ted leads the series 1-0. Game 2 had much more of a choppy feel to it, with no big game-changing runs being performed. The Lumberjacks' Gabe knew he lost it when he missed contact on a cut attempt on the 7, and the Spiders' Ted confirmed this with a ball-in-hand shot on the 7 to the bottom left for the win to clinch the series at 2-0. Ted didn't start so well in game 3, watching Gabe make a four-ball run, but Gabe again failed to sustain the attack, and Ted had a three-ball run-out for the win. Ted swept the series 3-0, and will host the Golden Pilots' Dusty in the third round.

HP Field Events Center, Midland: Americus v. Panda. The red cue closes up its 15-ball action for the round in this series. Offense took some time to develop in game 1, but Midland's Americus started to pick up the pace just after the halfway mark. Southern's Panda shut this down on a three-ball run-out, ending with an 11-15 combination to the bottom left for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Panda had the better of play in game 2, but that all went away when he scratched while double-potting the 9 to the bottom right and the 15 to the top side. The Predators' Americus hadn't done much prior to that, but she has the win and has tied the series at 1. Americus threw everything she had at the early parts of game 3, trying to strike quickly, but the plan failed, and Panda mopped up a fairly easy win with a 10-15 combination to the top side. Panda won the series 2-1, and will visit the Diamond Gems' Cassandra in the third round.

Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Sweetheart v. Princess. Veterans meet in Accuracy with the silver cue, its last series in the event for the round. Boston's Sweetheart made a double-pot on the break in game 1 and then another one two turns later, but a miss in between put her behind. Tysini's Princess then missed late in the game, and Sweetheart maintained her last-shot advantage to the end. Princess went empty on the overtime break, and Sweetheart converted to win 1-2 for the 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Sweetheart tried a similar strategy in game 2, making a double-pot about halfway through the game to take the last-shot advantage from the Hummingbirds' Princess. Sweetheart had a later miss though, and Princess remained strong, taking the 1-2 win in regulation to tie the series at 1. Princess and Sweetheart battled for every shot in game 3, but a quick finish left Sweetheart on the outside looking in at Princess winning 3-4. Princess took the series 2-1, and will visit the Diamond Gems captain Smokey in the third round.

That's all for today's games. We're at two to go in the round, still on track to end on Friday.

Tournament 2018 - Round 2 Day 29

We continue the stretch run for this round, beginning this day with...

AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Jason V. v. Leonette. The red cue leads things off in a series of 12-ball between a rookie and a veteran. Pacific's Leonette had to battle a bit in game 1 despite Oceanside's Jason giving her a wild-card ball on the break. Leonette returned it with a later scratch, but beat Jason in their race to the bottom side for the win and a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Volcanoes' Leonette gave away a wild-card ball early on to the Waves' Jason, who already had a lead at the time. The added flexibility helped him speed up his attack, and he took the win to tie the series at 1. Jason had a good start with a four-ball run in game 3, but Leonette charged back as Jason tried to position his last shot later on. Leonette made a pair of three-ball runs to take the win, and a 2-1 series win. Leonette will host another Coastal rival in the third round, playing against the Viewpoint Sound Meteors' Nibbles.

Apple Center, Todavía: Prism v. Shaggy. Another series of 12-ball is ready to go, this one with the silver cue. Whitewater's Shaggy worked a bit faster in game 1, although she felt some pressure from Todavía's Prism later on. Shaggy did hold off the threat, potting her last ball to earn the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Shaggy had a wild-card ball in game 2, but her issues with scratching quickly surrendered the advantage. The Stills' Prism also had a wild-card ball for awhile, long enough to organize her shots and win when a good bounce helped her finish off the last pair of solids. Prism's win tied the series at 1. Prism had a hot start in game 3, picking the corners quickly, while Shaggy had to watch. Shaggy then built a slow comeback, keeping Prism's positioning poor at the end of every turn. Prism never got a clear shot on her last ball, as Shaggy took over late for the win and a 2-1 series win. Shaggy returns home to host the Victoria Spurs captain Spice in the third round.

Sprint Hall, Victoria: Yekaterina Vasilyeva v. Briana Livilotti. The blue cue comes for this series of Rotation between friends. Victoria's Yekaterina spent most of game 1 trailing Queens' Briana, as the rookie played well initially. Yekaterina, a more seasoned veteran, struck at the right moment near the end, winning 8-6 with a three-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Yekaterina put together a standout performance in game 2, using a three-ball run from the break to set the tone and suffocating defense to keep the Flames' Briana at bay. It worked to perfection, as Yekaterina ended up winning by an 8-0 score while Briana never had a clear shot at the target ball. Yekaterina clinched the series at 2-0. Yekaterina kept up the attack early in game 3, pulling away with a nice lead initially and doubling it later on. Briana made a bit of a counterattack, but Yekaterina took the win at 8-3 and swept the series 3-0 as well. Yekaterina will host a Southwestern rival, the Infinity Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman, in the third round. This makes Briana the ninth player eliminated, and Yekaterina has her first kill of the year.

Toyota Arena, Freedom: Jasmine v. Sydney Sierota. The silver cue plays its last Rotation series of the round here. Freedom's Jasmine came out with a bit of a jump in game 1, and it helped her establish a lead. Harrison's Sydney tried to catch up, but Jasmine continued to pull away at the end of the game, eventually winning 8-4 for a 1-0 series lead. Jasmine and Sydney battled a bit more closely to start game 2, but Jasmine again held the advantage almost all the time. Jasmine pulled away again in the end, using a couple of short runs to win 8-5, clinching the series for herself at 2-0. Jasmine continued her surge in game 3, weathering a slow start as Sydney also struggled, and then pulling away to win 8-3 for the 3-0 series sweep. Jasmine's dominant performances put her through to the third round, where she hosts Eastern Hills rival Steven of the Atlantic Pirates.

Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Vladimir Vasilyev v. Leandra. The red cue is back now, playing a series of 7-ball. Stonebridge's Vladimir had an edge in possession in game 1, although it was far from a clean performance. He did make the last two balls to beat Tysini's Leandra, who lacked an extra punch to her attack as Vladimir went ahead 1-0 in the series. The Wolves' Vladimir had his moments in game 2 as well, showing off some skill in the middle of the game, but the Hummingbirds' Leandra shot back with a pair of shots at the end to get the win, tying the series at 1. Vladimir took no chances in game 3, as Leandra made a ball on the break but missed on her next shot and Vladimir rallied from there on a six-ball run-out. Vladimir's massive win gave him a 2-1 series win, and he will host the Southern Monarchs' Pounce in the third round.

HP Field Events Center, Midland: Fuchsia v. Chris. A sophomore meets a captain in 15-ball with the silver cue to bring today to half-completion. Midland's Fuchsia had a clear advantage on possession, with a five-ball run and a three-ball run pacing her attack, but she left the 15 up for Capital City's Chris and he made it on his first try for the win to go up 1-0 in the series. The Predators' Fuchsia competed well with the Sharpshooters' Chris early in game 2, with the two exchanging near-even possession shares. Chris turned this around with a six-ball run-out, the brilliant attack securing the series for him at 2-0. Fuchsia had a highlight-reel triple-pot in game 3, making the 1-4-5 combination to the bottom left, with the 4 caroming to the top side and the 1 to the bottom side in a fantastic shot. Chris had his moments in game 3 after that, but Fuchsia came up with the win in the end when Chris missed contact on the 14. Chris did take the series 2-1, and he will host the Whitewater Shores' Marsell in a tough third round series.

Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Twinkie I v. Stealth. The blue cue takes this series in 7-ball. Pacific's Twinkie I had a pair on the break and a three-ball run-out at the end, sandwiching a pair of successful shots by Swordpoint's Stealth on his only turn. Twinkie I's pacey attack gave her a 1-0 series lead with the win. The Volcanoes' Twinkie I wasted no time in sealing the series at 2-0, winning game 2 with a three-ball run-out from the break to shut out the Blades' Stealth. Twinkie I's winning shot was a glancing play off the 2 to drill the 7 to the top right as the clinching shot. Twinkie I didn't have a remarkable effort in game 3, playing evenly with Stealth for most of the game until a struggle ensued on the 7. Twinkie I did manage to put the 7 in the bottom left for the win, sweeping the series 3-0 and earning the right to host the North Modernistic Nighthawks' B. Chapman in the third round.

Nissan Hall, Infinity: Smudge v. Gradley. Two talented players square off for this series of Rotation with the red cue. Infinity's Smudge picked up a six-ball run from the break in game 1, a show of dominance that caused Boston's Gradley to miss his first shot. It would be his only one, as Smudge made a pair on her second turn for the 8-0 win and 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Smudge continued to see most of the bounces go in her favor in game 2, rallying with a four-ball run-out at the end to win 8-2 after a brief counterattack from the Swifts' Gradley. Smudge secured the series at 2-0 with another fantastic game. Smudge tried to keep up in game 3, but she had taken a step back and Gradley refused to be swept in this series, winning the game 8-6. Smudge took the 2-1 series win, and will play on into the third round.

BMW RockDome, Westside: Slinks v. Boots. Respected veterans meet in 15-ball with the silver cue. Game 1 didn't start so well with an awful break from Westside's Slinks. The shattering of the rack took a few turns, leading to a slow pace in the game that didn't work out so well for Pearl's Boots, who missed late. Slinks picked up the last two shots for the win and a 1-0 series lead.  The Rockers' Slinks delivered a much better break for game 2, although the Surfers' Boots took a big run fairly early in the game. Slinks did not get bothered, using a decoy shot on the 11 to bump the 15 to the top left for the win, which clinched the series for her at 2-0. Boots had a five-ball run early in game 3, showing determination on her part, but she faded toward the end of the game, and Slinks came up with a four-ball run-out for the win to sweep the series 3-0. Slinks will visit the Oceanside Waves rookie Jason V. in the third round.

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Kiwi v. Hughbert. The blue cue's last series today is in 7-ball after a short break. Terrace City's Kiwi butchered her chance to win game 1, missing badly on the 6. Southridge's Hughbert took over from here, making a pair of shots for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Kiwi recovered in game 2, keeping things even with the Defenders' Hughbert at first before pushing forward at the end of the game. Kiwi made the 7 on her second try to get the win, tying the series at 1 game apiece. Kiwi never let Hughbert take a shot in game 3, making two balls on the break and five more shots after that, the last three being tap-ins, to get the win. Kiwi took the series 2-1, and will host the Viewpoint Sound Meteors' Nibbles in the third round.

GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca v. Waluigi. A pair of sophomores clash in the silver cue's last 9-ball series of the round. Southridge's Bianca had a wonderful 4-9 bank combination to the top left to end a three-ball run-out, countering an early attack by Lighton's Waluigi. The winning shot put Bianca ahead 1-0 in the series. The Prestige's Waluigi had a four-ball run at one point in game 2, but he couldn't get anything after his miss on the 6. The Defenders' Bianca waited a turn before assembling a well-executed four-ball run-out for the win, clinching the series in her favor at 2-0. Waluigi had his chances to avoid the sweep in game 3, none better than a late three-ball run that ended with him scratching. Bianca took the 9 from ball-in-hand, and she won the series 3-0, moving on to host the Golden Pilots' Dusty in a third round Southeastern Derby. Waluigi is the tenth player eliminated this year, his Prestige career in question, while Bianca has her first kill.

Toyota Arena, Freedom: Stripes v. Wings. Today's action ends where tomorrow's begins, with the silver cue playing 8-ball in today's finale. Central's Wings took the lead early in game 1, but Freedom's Stripes controlled the middle of the game to pull ahead. Stripes plateaued after a couple of short runs, and Wings rallied on a seven-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw a more tense battle between the players, with the Cascades' Stripes keeping ahead for most of the game. The Warriors' Wings pulled ahead late, and then received ball-in-hand when Stripes failed on a masse shot. Wings buried the 8 for the win, sealing the series at 2-0. Stripes had a slower start to game 3, giving Wings a bit of a false sense of security. Stripes roared back, eventually getting the win with a three-ball run-out. Wings took the series 2-1, and will be the visitor in his third round series. Stripes is the eleventh player to be eliminated, and Wings took his first kill of the year.

That'll be all for today. We'll be back to the morning/afternoon split used over the last couple of weeks for tomorrow's games, with an early finish required due to other commitments.

Tournament 2018 - Round 2 Day 28

We're back on a Monday to continue the final stretch of the second round. First up today is...

Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Pounce v. Rudolph. The red cue takes the lead-off series, playing Accuracy. Southern's Pounce looked great in game 1, making a ball on the break and playing near-perfect on his shots. Harrison's Rudolph fell behind quickly and never had a chance to come back, as Pounce won 1-4 to take a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Pounce again made a ball on the break in game 2, and he carried a significant lead late in the game before crumbling. The Specters' Rudolph briefly challenged Pounce, but Pounce secured his win in the end at 3-5 to clinch the series at 2-0. Pounce actually had the first miss in the game 3, but when Rudolph tried to pin Pounce late in the game, Pounce turned the tables on him to get a 2-4 win to make it a 3-0 series sweep. Pounce will host the Freedom Cascades captain Jasmine in the third round.

Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Marsell v. Neopolitan. The red cue stays in action for a 9-ball series. Whitewater's Marsell took one of the oddest wins in league history in game 1, as Pearl's Neopolitan made the 9 on a carom from the cue after a miss on the 3, but she also accidentally displaced the 8 with her hand on the follow-through. By the rules, Marsell took the win for an illegal shot on the target ball by Neopolitan, and Marsell leads the series 1-0. The Surfers' Neopolitan played cleaner in game 2, although the Shores' Marsell did carry a majority of the possession. Marsell had a three-ball run over the middle of the game, but Neopolitan struck back with the last two shots for the win, tying the series at 1. Neopolitan picked up the pace in game 3 with a four-ball run after a slow start, but she missed on the 6, and Marsell buried a three-ball run-out for the win and a 2-1 series win. Marsell will advance to the third round.

Nissan Hall, Infinity: Fluffina v. Boots. Another 9-ball series for the red cue sees these two stars collide. Infinity's Fluffina had a ball on a sloppy break, and then backed it up with a five-ball run-out ending in a 5-9 combination to the top right after Pearl's Boots couldn't get her offense going. Fluffina owns a 1-0 series lead with the dominant win. The Torpedoes' Fluffina again dominated the offense in game 2, but she gave the win away to the Surfers' Boots by scratching while converting the 3-9 combination to the bottom right. Boots took the gift to tie the series at 1. Boots then built upon that gift in game 3, using a foul by Fluffina to gain ball-in-hand for the 1, which then set up a 2-9 combination to the top right for the win. Boots took the series at 2-1, the comeback sending her to a third round road series in Golden against Pilots captain Valencia. Fluffina is the 8th player to exit the Tournament, and Boots has her first kill.

UPS Hall, Maplewood: Gabe v. Summer. An all-Lumberjacks series will be done after the lunch break, played in 12-ball with the silver cue. Summer started with a three-ball run in game 1, but she gave away a wild-card ball to Gabe, who then made a three-ball run of his own. From here, Gabe had far better positioning, leading him to a runaway win for the 1-0 series lead. Gabe took a lead after Summer scratched on her first turn of game 2, but Summer would soon follow. With three balls each left and the same pockets required, Gabe orchestrated a three-ball run to beat Summer's strong positioning for the win. Gabe clinched the series at 2-0 with the smart play. Gabe didn't have much in game 3, and he completely lost his chance to catch up when he gave Summer a wild-card ball. Summer didn't need the flexibility, making her last shot two turns later after a good set-up touch. Gabe did win the series at 2-1, and will host a member of his former team, the Infinity Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman, in the third round.

Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Twilight v. Chelsea. Experienced players resume after the break in 10-ball with the silver cue. Central's Twilight dominated in game 1, working a five-ball run from the break after Eastside's Chelsea deferred possession. Twilight then took three out of the last five shots, including two at the end to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Twilight had a six-ball run from the game 2 break, staying clean this time. Twilight had some troubles at the end of the game, but the Sharks' Chelsea missed her bank on the 10, and Twilight buried it to the bottom right to secure the series at 2-0. Twilight was not as sharp in game 3, but she still had a majority of the offense. Chelsea had a chance to win, but hit her shot at the 10 too lightly, and Twilight made a tap-in to take the series in a 3-0 sweep. Twilight will visit the Victoria Spurs' Strawberry in the third round.

Sprint Hall, Victoria: Wario v. Nicole. A Southwestern Derby kicks off seven straight series with the blue cue in this 8-ball battle. Lighton's Nicole had all the luck in game 1, watching many of the early shots from Victoria's Wario fail while all of hers went in. Wario made a late three-ball run, but Nicole measured a tap on the 8 to the to left to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Wario saw his luck correct itself in game 2, as many more of his shots went down. He led the Prestige's Nicole for much of the game, but she made it close at the end until Wario put in a three-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 1. Wario had his moments in game 3, but Nicole made a deeper run to get onto the 8, and Wario couldn't counterattack in time to save the game. Nicole put the 8 past Wario's attempt at defense, earning the win for a 2-1 series win. Nicole will visit the Eastside Sharks' Graham in the third round.

Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Ruby v. Easter. Two of Delila Enterprises' best tangle in Rotation. Archtown's Ruby didn't have the best break in game 1, but she rallied with a four-ball run-out on her final turn, one turn after taking the lead away from Todavía's Easter. Ruby took the win at 8-2, good for a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Easter didn't play as quickly or simply as the Arrows' Ruby in game 2, but Easter did take an early lead and hold Ruby off. Easter got a bit of help when Ruby fouled, leading Easter to the 8-2 win to tie the series at 1 game apiece. Ruby had to fight off two surges of offense from Easter in game 3, the first fairly early and the second in response to Ruby's first attack. Ruby succeeded, making four balls over her last two turns to earn the 8-6 win for the 2-1 series win. Ruby will host the Boston Swifts' Ice Cream in the third round.

Toyota Arena, Freedom: Roxy v. Cubby. Back in 8-ball, future club-mates and Eastern Hills rivals meet for a series. Eastside's Cubby had a slightly better start in game 1, but Freedom's Roxy stayed close and made it a choppy game. Neither player developed any big runs, but Roxy potted her shots with more urgency and took the win for a 1-0 series lead when Cubby fell flat late in the game. The Cascades' Roxy had a four-ball run to get a bit deeper into game 2, but found herself quickly overwhelmed by shorter runs from the Sharks' Cubby, who used a three-ball run-out to win the game. Cubby's win tied the series at 1. Roxy had Cubby on the ropes in game 3, but she was too cautious around the 8, settling three times for contact plays before missing at the top right. Cubby, meanwhile, roared back with a three-ball run and a four-ball run-out to poach the win and the 2-1 series win. Cubby will visit the Swordpoint Blades rookie Jason N. in the third round.

UPS Hall, Maplewood: Diddley v. Gradley. Two historically strong veterans duel in 15-ball in this series. Maplewood's Diddley started fairly well in game 1, but Boston's Gradley had a short run early on, and threatened the 15 multiple times. Diddley got aggressive on the 7, and the play failed, as Gradley got positioning to sink the 7-15 combination at the bottom side for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Diddley had a much better offense in game 2, swarming around the Swifts' Gradley rather easily. Diddley worked a five-ball run toward the end of the game, but found himself short on a kick on the 15 to the bottom right. Gradley made the tap-in to poach the win, sealing the series at 2-0. Gradley had a five-ball run in game 3, a productive attack to hold off some of Diddley's better stuff from early on. Gradley had troubles with the 14, but when he got to the 15, he buried it quickly to sweep Diddley 3-0 in the series. Gradley hosts a Southeastern rival in the third round when the Queens Flames' Hannah comes to town.

Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Cobalt v. Sage. A sophomore takes on a rookie in 12-ball as the blue cue's streak of series continues. Victoria's Sage navigated the rack in game 1 quite effectively, with an early four-ball run pacing her attack, and a pair of shots at the end to take the win. Stonebridge's Cobalt had nothing after the break as Sage went ahead 1-0 in the series. The Wolves' Cobalt bounced back pretty well in game 2, getting an early four-ball run himself to set the tone. Cobalt's positioning stayed strong, and he beat the Spurs' Sage two turns later to tie the series at 1 with his win. Sage pulled herself together in game 3, although both players exchanged wild-card balls in the game. Sage had the inside edge toward the end of the game, but Cobalt erased the deficit just before missing contact on his last ball. Sage then buried her shot for the win and a 2-1 series win. Sage will visit fellow rookie Katharine of the Whitewater Shores in the third round.

Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Twilight v. Jennifer Livilotti. Back in 8-ball, the host plays her second series today. Central's Twilight got a cheap win on the second shot of game 1, as Terrace City's Jennifer made a 4-2 combination to the top right but saw the carom bump the 8 into the bottom right illegally. Twilight leads the series 1-0. The Knights' Jennifer continued to see long rolls for herself toward the bottom right, twice working in her favor and twice against her in game 2. The Warriors' Twilight made a good effort, pulling even after Jennifer had a scratch, but Jennifer walked away in the end with a three-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Jennifer had a mediocre break in game 2, and she couldn't piece a go-ahead run together to stall Twilight at all. Twilight's hot start and a four-ball run-out spelled a victory, and a 2-1 series win as well, with Twilight set to host Modernistic Union rookie Kodiak in the third round.

Cisco Arena, Tysini: Charli XCX v. Vladimir Vasilyev. Today's final series is 15-ball for the blue cue. Tysini's Charli had the better of play in game 1 by a small margin, and she picked up the last two shots to beat Stonebridge's Vladimir for the win and a 1-0 series lead in an otherwise unimpressive game for both sides. The Hummingbirds' Charli had a more clear majority of possession in game 2, aided by a five-ball run, but the later shots proved difficult to convert. The Wolves' Vladimir ended up with the win when he rattled the 15 out of the top right and into the bottom side to tie the series at 1. Charli continued to have the better of play in game 3, working a couple of short runs, but late mistakes cost her again, as Vladimir pulled himself away with a shot on the 15 to the top side. Vladimir won the series 2-1, and will play on into the third round.

That's all for today. We'll be back with an afternoon start tomorrow.

Tournament 2018 - Round 2 Day 27

We're back, looking to finish the second round over the next six days. Today's action begins with...

Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Juno v. Spirit. Strength meets skill in Accuracy with the blue cue for today's first series. Stonebridge's Juno had a much stronger start in game 1, building up a large lead as Lighton's Spirit faltered. The later play was pretty even, but Juno maintained her play to earn a 2-6 win for the 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was more of the same for the Wolves' Juno, as she played well early on and even maintained a perfect record by the end of the game, while the Prestige's Spirit fell apart gradually from the middle onward. Juno won 0-5, clinching the series at 2-0. The tables turned at the start of game 3, as Juno scratched on the break and fell far behind. Spirit tried her hardest to give up the advantage, but she did take the 5-6 win in the end to avoid the sweep. Juno's 2-1 series win puts her into the third round, where she'll host the winner of the next series.

Chevrolet Center, Everton: Blizzard v. Twilight. The reigning MVP meets a captain in the blue cue's last Accuracy series of the round. Everton's Blizzard started strong, pinning Central's Twilight back early in game 1. Twilight made a partial comeback, but Blizzard took the win 3-5 for a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Twilight showed a bit of skill late in a much closer game 2, coming from behind as she forced the Eagles' Blizzard to miss her last two shots. Blizzard's late collapse put her behind, and Twilight tapped in the last ball for a 2-3 win to tie the series at 1. Twilight and Blizzard tangled rather plainly in game 3, failing to separate from each other much. Blizzard then fell apart, missing two short-range shots near the end to give Twilight the 3-5 win. Twilight took the series 2-1, and she will visit the Stonebridge Wolves captain Juno in the third round.

HP Field Events Center, Midland: Rainmane v. Puff III. Two stars collide in 10-ball with the silver cue. Midland's Rainmane made too many errors in game 1, the last of her three costing her the game as Everton's Puff III made the 9 from ball-in-hand and then banked the 10 to the bottom right for the win. Puff III's classical finish gives her a 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Rainmane had another scratch early in game 2, letting the Eagles' Puff III establish a majority of possession over two turns. Puff III nearly made the 10 on a deflected shot off the 8, but her miss ended a three-ball run, and Rainmane made a three-ball run-out after that with a bank on the 9 to the bottom side setting up a tap-in on the 10 at the top right. Rainmane's win tied the series at 1. Puff III had some tough misses early in game 3, but then found herself on a five-ball run. She banked the 10 toward the bottom right, narrowly missing, and Rainmane mopped it up for the win again, taking the series as well at 2-1. Rainmane will host Modernistic Union rookie Kodiak.

Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Juno v. Ice Cream. After a break, the silver cue gets another series in 9-ball. Stonebridge's Juno had a slow start, but Boston's Ice Cream wasn't much better in game 1. Juno got away with a four-ball run, and then made the 9 when Ice Cream couldn't finish a counterattacking run at the end, giving Juno the 1-0 series lead with the win. The Wolves' Juno won in absolutely crazy fashion on her second shot of game 2, kicking the 1 that then banked off the bottom rail, pushing into the 9 near the top rail and glancing it off the 5 to the top right for the win, all after the Swifts' Ice Cream took a poor shot on the 1. Juno clinched the series at 2-0 with the remarkable shot. Juno had some good plays in game 3, and nearly struck early as well, but Ice Cream would manage to avoid the sweep with a late three-ball run-out to take the win. Juno had a 2-1 series win again, and she'll be on the road in an Eastern Hills Derby in the third round at the Eastside Sharks' Chelsea.

HP Field Events Center, Midland: Fuchsia v. Sierra. Two resurgent players meet in 12-ball with the blue cue. Todavía's Sierra got a jump at the start of the game, but she struggled to position her side pocket shots, and Midland's Fuchsia caught up with a short but productive turns. Fuchsia would get the win after positioning her final shot well, good for a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Sierra rallied with a four-ball run and great positioning for her last two shots on her first turn, stunning the Predators' Fuchsia, who made one shot on her next two turns before Sierra made her final pair. Sierra's great play earned her a win to tie the series at 1. Sierra and Fuchsia combined for a pretty close game 3 battle, although Sierra had a late scratch as she tried to make a final push. Fuchsia took advantage, winning two turns later with a bank to the bottom side. Fuchsia's 2-1 series win puts her into the third round, where she'll visit the Freedom Cascades' Roxy.

Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Vincent Sullivan v. Nightfur. The red cue's first series of the day is in 15-ball. Viewpoint Sound's Vincent took an otherwise close game 1 and shocked everyone when his failed cut on the 4 had enough power to push the 15 along the top rail, glancing it off the 7 and into the top left to defeat Royal's Nightfur for the 1-0 series lead. Game 2 went a bit more predictably, with slow offense developing in the early stages. The Crowns' Nightfur did find a three-ball run later on, but the Meteors' Vincent slammed the door shut with his five-ball run-out for the win, helping him clinch the series at 2-0. Vincent tried to keep up the pace in game 3, but Nightfur played much better here, with a pair of four-ball runs to pace her attack and a pair of shots at the end for the win. Vincent took the series 2-1, and will host Ms. Puppy, the Modernistic Union captain, in the third round.

Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Hershey v. Spirit. The visitor continues her stay in this venue, this time ending the silver cue's 7-ball obligations for the round. Stonebridge's Hershey had a productive finish after watching Lighton's Spirit start game 1 fairly well. Hershey made a three-ball run-out in the end, picking up the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Hershey had a positive start in game 2, making a pair of balls on the break, but he ended up struggling after that, and the Prestige's Spirit gained the win with a three-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Spirit and Hershey battled with choppy turns in game 3, neither player truly able to get a grip on things by themselves. Hershey ended up taking the 7 in the end, putting it in the top left to secure a 2-1 series win. Hershey will visit the Viewpoint Sound Meteors' Dani in the third round.

GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca v. Dusky. The silver cue ends its day in 8-ball in this series. Southridge's Bianca had a nice pair of shots early in game 1, but when she shattered the remnants of the rack, Archtown's Dusky released her offense. Dusky ended the game on a five-ball run-out, taking the win and a 1-0 lead in the series. The Defenders' Bianca pulled in a six-ball run at one point in game 2, getting onto the 8 but giving the Arrows' Dusky a free ball. Dusky rallied back on a four-ball run, but rattled the 8 out of the bottom right, and Bianca tapped it in to get the win, tying the series at 1. Bianca had a pair of balls on the break as part of a three-ball run, and then she went cold. Dusky struggled for awhile, allowing Bianca to find another three-ball run. Dusky then went with a five-ball run to get onto the 8, but Bianca shot back and took the win, sealing the series in her favor at 2-1. Bianca visits the Infinity Torpedoes' Shelley in the third round.

Toyota Arena, Freedom: Stripes v. Zach. The blue cue is on for Rotation in this particular Eastern Hills Derby. Pronger's Zach overcame a quick strike by Freedom's Stripes early in game, using a five-ball run to put himself on the brink of victory. Stripes pulled a couple of shots back, but a scratch doomed her to the loss, as Zach won 8-3 for the 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Stripes had a more persistent effort in game 2, keeping things close, but she missed three chances to earn the win on the 14 and 15. Instead, Zach overcame falling behind late to win 8-7, clinching the series at 2-0 with another win. Zach had a nice lead in game 3 after a five-ball run put him on the brink again, but Stripes pulled back this time with a four-ball run and a three-ball run-out on consecutive turns to grab the 8-7 win. Zach took the series 2-1, and will be the visitor in his third round series.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: Sugar v. Daisy. An underrated veteran meets a surging sophomore in 15-ball with the blue cue. Web City's Sugar had some chances in game 1, none better than the 6-15 from ball-in-hand after Modernistic's Daisy made illegal contact. Sugar missed that combination, and Daisy took the 15 on a deflected shot instead, the win putting her ahead 1-0 in the series. The Spiders' Sugar had a few more chances in a fairly even game 2, which went full-term, but the Union's Daisy kept the pressure up and a made pair of shots at the end for another win to secure the series at 2-0. Sugar and Daisy battled throughout a throw-away game 3, neither player finding runs of any meaning. Sugar ultimately picked up a couple of shots at the end, breaking the lethargic stalemate to get a win. Daisy took the series 2-1, earning a visitor spot in the third round.

Kraft Forum, Royal: Nightfur v. Mitchell. The host plays her second series today back at home for 7-ball with the red cue. Harrison's Mitchell smashed a seven-ball run-out on his first turn after Royal's Nightfur went empty on her game 1 break. Mitchell's table-running adventure gave him a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Nightfur never got to shoot in game 2, as the Specters' Mitchell stretched his consecutive potted balls streak to 9 by putting the 4 and 7 down on the break. As the 7 fell in the top side, Mitchell also secured the series at 2-0 at the end of the shot. Mitchell couldn't keep it going in game 3, the break betraying him and then a late scratch allowing Nightfur to use a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand to get the win. Mitchell did take the series 2-1 to get into the third round.

HP Field Events Center, Midland: Leonardo v. Sally. The red cue ends the day for us in Rotation between two veterans. Midland's Leonardo had a good start to game 1, pulling himself ahead for most of the game, but Archtown's Sally did not go quietly. Sally chipped her way into a tie, and then made a pair of shots at the end for the 8-6 win and a 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Leonardo jumped out to a lead in game 2, but both players had time in front. The Arrows' Sally got close to a win in the later stages, but Leonardo pulled back, making three balls over two turns to win 8-6, tying the series at 1 in the process. Leonardo showed up well in game 3, holding off a fierce start from Sally to grab the lead in the middle of the game before closing with an 8-4 win. Leonardo claimed the series at 2-1, and will play in the third round.

That's it for today's games. We'll have five more standard days on tap if everything goes right this week.

Tournament 2018 - Round 2 Day 26

We're back to a normal schedule of games today, ahead of tomorrow's scheduled day off. We begin with...

Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Shaggy v. A. Charlton. A pair of veterans battle in 10-ball with the blue cue to begin the day. Whitewater's Shaggy went empty on a good break in game 1, but struck for two shots on her second turn after Golden's Charlton missed on the 1. Shaggy put the 1 in the top side, and then made the 2-10 combination at the bottom right for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 went to full-term, with many exchanges of possession in a choppy battle. The Pilots' Charlton made a pair of shots near the middle of the game, but the Shores' Shaggy replied with a three-ball run-out to secure the series at 2-0 with another solid win. Charlton looked at her best in game 3, getting a couple of three-ball runs to pace her attack, but a kick on the 10 to the top right failed her at the end. Shaggy made the tap-in to steal this win, giving her a 3-0 series sweep as she heads to a road match in the third round against the Westside Rockers' Slinks.

Intel Center, Diamond: Cassandra v. Goldy. A returnee meets a captain in the second series, using the red cue for Rotation. Everton's Goldy started a bit slower than Diamond's Cassandra in game 1, but a four-ball run from Goldy put her on the brink of winning. Cassandra pulled back to tie the game, but missed on the 15, and Goldy made it for an 8-7 win and 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Cassandra had a good start in game 2, pulling out to a nice lead, but it all went to waste when the Eagles' Goldy found a five-ball run-out. Goldy's composed run gave her an 8-5 win to secure the series at 2-0. Goldy had two scratches in game 3, leading to about half of Cassandra's offense, with the rest coming on a lucky run. After Goldy's second scratch, Cassandra marched to an 8-1 win on a three-ball run-out. Goldy took the series 2-1, and will return home as a visiting player to face her Eagles teammate Cleo in the third round.

Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Chris. A captains' battle takes us to the lunch break in 7-ball with the red cue. Boston's Patches took a pair of shots from the break, but Capital City's Chris picked up a three-ball run on his first turn. Patches did make the 6, but missed on the 7, and Chris buried it for the win, going up 1-0 in the series. The Swifts' Patches looked far more in control of game 2, using a five-ball run to get onto the 7, but she couldn't cut it to the bottom left, and the Sharpshooters' Chris took it from ball-in-hand after Patches missed contact. Chris sealed the series at 2-0. Game 3 looked to be a struggle for both players in terms of motivation, but Patches did bring it to a quick end, burying a 4-7 combination to the top left that Chris left aligned with a miss. Chris won the series 2-1, and will host a Southwestern rival in the third round when the Infinity Torpedoes' Shelley pays a visit.

Sprint Hall, Victoria: Yekaterina Vasilyeva v. Americus. Two underrated players meet in 10-ball with the silver cue after the lunch break. Victoria's Yekaterina had a five-ball run on her second turn and a four-ball run on her third turn, but still left the game empty as Midland's Americus poked the 10 to the top side for the cheap win and a 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Americus again scuffled early in game 2, but she nearly made a 5-10 combination to the top right. The Spurs' Yekaterina wasted no time in striking, potting the 5 at the top side and the 6-10 combination as a double-pot in the top right for the win to tie the series at 1. Yekaterina didn't get much going early in game 3, but she made five shots over her last two turns, a late push propelling her to the win and the 2-1 series win over Americus. Yekaterina will host the Pearl Surfers' Beth in the third round.

Nissan Hall, Infinity: Solaris v. Fuchsia. Also in the Southwest, the blue cue plays another series of 10-ball. After a decent start from Infinity's Solaris in game 1, the offense belonged almost exclusively to Midland's Fuchsia, who did mostly short runs before winning on a three-ball run-out. Fuchsia leads the series 1-0. The Predators' Fuchsia had much easier shots in game 2 compared to the Torpedoes' Solaris. Fuchsia tried to deflect a shot off the 2, which pushed the 10 toward the top right, and when Solaris missed on his next turn, Fuchsia put the 2-10 combination in the top right for the win. Fuchsia clinched the series at 2-0. Fuchsia had some good moments in game 3 as well, but Solaris went on a late three-ball run and then cleaned up the 10 on his next turn, avoiding the sweep with his win. Fuchsia advances on a 2-1 series win, and she'll visit the Freedom Cascades' Roxy in the third round.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Violetta. A captain and a rising star bring us to halfway today with Accuracy and the blue cue. Neither player had their best effort in game 1, but they were evenly matched. A spate of misses late left Pearl's Watermelon in a tie, and she had to do the overtime break. She missed, and Queens' Violetta made a shot to win 5-6 for a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Violetta made improvements in her game 2 performance, keeping a clean score until late in the game. By this time, the Surfers' Watermelon had already fallen behind, and Violetta didn't let her catch up, taking the win 2-4 to clinch the series at 2-0. Violetta couldn't do as well in game 3, falling apart by the end to drop into a tie with Watermelon. Violetta's overtime break was empty, and Watermelon struck to win 3-4, giving Violetta a 2-1 series win. Violetta will visit the Tysini Hummingbirds' Brownie in round three.

Ebay Center, Queens: Kyle v. Yekaterina Vasilyeva. The red cue returns to action in this important 15-ball series. Queens' Kyle had a firm attack in game 1, making a six-ball run at one point near the middle of the game. Victoria's Yekaterina shot back right after this, winning on a three-ball run-out to take a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Yekaterina didn't let the Flames' Kyle shoot in game 2, potting the 3 on the break, the 1 to the bottom left on her second shot, and a 2-15 kick combination to the bottom right for the win to cap a quick three-ball run-out. Yekaterina sealed the series at 2-0 with the impressively fast win. Yekaterina and Kyle dueled pretty closely in game 3, with Yekaterina holding an edge in possession and winning with a 10-15 combination to the top right to finish off her 3-0 series sweep. Yekaterina will visit the Southern Monarchs' Hoppy in the third round.

Ebay Center, Queens: Violetta v. Bandit. Also in Queens, the blue cue completes the venue doubleheader in 7-ball. Queens' Violetta made three balls on the break, and then closed out with a three-ball run-out on her second turn, easily working around a lackluster effort from Swordpoint's Bandit. Violetta is ahead 1-0 in the series. The Flames' Violetta had a weaker start in game 2, allowing the Blades' Bandit to create a three-ball run early on, but Bandit missed on the 5. Violetta made a three-ball run-out after that to get the win, clinching the series at 2-0. Violetta didn't have her best performance in game 3, scratching on her second turn. Bandit did a four-ball run after this, bus he came up short on the 5, and Violetta made it and the 7 to get the win anyway for a 3-0 series sweep. Violetta will be the host in her third round series.

HP Field Events Center, Midland: Shawn v. Juno. Two captains with a nasty side meet in 12-ball with the red cue. Midland's Shawn had a good start with a ball on the break, but he gave Stonebridge's Juno a wild-card ball, and she used it to her advantage at the end of game 1, positioning herself flexibly to pick off her final two shots quickly. Juno leads the series 1-0. The Wolves' Juno had a hard time after a good start to game 2, unable to get positioning for her last ball at the top side. Her many missed contact plays allowed the Predators' Shawn to slow rally himself back into the game, and Shawn ultimately won, tying the series at 1 with the comeback effort. Shawn's break in game 3 netted him a stripe, but Juno made quick work of the solids, winning in three turns after Shawn gave a wild-card ball on his second turn. Juno took the series 2-1, and will visit the Atlantic Pirates' Klaus for a third round Eastern Hills Derby match.

Ford Forum, Pronger: Lize v. Panda. The host is mostly healthy as she plays Accuracy with the red cue. Pronger's Lize had no problems in game 1, actually getting Southern's Panda to miss a couple of shots as he tried to be strategic. Lize cruised to the 1-5 win by the end of the game, taking a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Lize seemed even stronger in game 2, not missing at all until nearly the end of the game when she had a scratch. By that point, the Monarchs' Panda was definitively behind, and Lize capped the win at 1-5 again to seal the series at 2-0. Panda fell behind early in game 3 as well, looking as if he was going to give up easily. Lize then hit the skids and fell behind late in the game, but Panda missed his last two shots, and Lize emerged with a 4-5 win to earn the 3-0 series sweep. Lize will host an Eastern Hills rival in the Stonebridge Wolves' Cobalt in the third round.

Apple Center, Todavía: Prism v. Diddley. A sophomore meets a captain as we play 7-ball with the silver cue in this series. Neither player took control of game 1, exchanging short turns and a lot of missed shots. Maplewood's Diddley finally took over with a glancing shot off the 6 to send the 7 to the top right for the win, giving him a 1-0 series lead over Todavía's Prism. The Lumberjacks' Diddley had a disappointing break in game 2, which left most of the future shots condensed near the right rail. The Stills' Prism had a pair of shots, followed by Diddley making the 5 and 6 but whiffing on the 7, which Prism put away for the win to tie the series at 1. Prism had her chances in game 3, striking on a couple of short runs, but she missed on the 7. Diddley did not fail, banking the 7 to the bottom right for the win and a 2-1 series win to put him into the third round, where he will host the Pearl Surfers' Beth.

Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake v. Ruby. The day ends with 7-ball between a pair of veterans, this time using the red cue. Royal's Jake had a decent start in game 1, but saw Archtown's Ruby put down a three-ball run on her first turn. Undeterred, Jake made a three-ball run-out himself to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Jake had another slow start in game 2, but a couple of mistakes from the Arrows' Ruby, including a late scratch bailed him out. Jake took an overwhelming majority of possession, winning on a three-ball run-out to clinch the series at 2-0. Jake had some good moments in game 3, but he struggled near the end, opening the door for Ruby to make a pair of shots at the end for the win. Jake still took a 2-1 series win, and he will host the Diamond Gems' Cassandra in the third round.

That's it for today's action. We'll play again on Sunday, going likely six straight days to end the round on June 29.

Tournament 2018 - Round 2 Day 25

After the split day, another segment of series commences with a late lead-off time. We begin with...

Google Hall, Modernistic: Puff I v. Rainmane. The red cue is first up in this session, playing 7-ball. Modernistic's Puff I put up a dominant performance in game 1, a five-ball run from the break and then a pair of shots after Midland's Rainmane missed on her only turn. Puff I easily took a 1-0 series lead with this showing. The Union's Puff I left a lot more up to chance in a sloppy game 2 performance. The Predators' Rainmane had an even share of offense, but she couldn't finish off the game, and Puff I cut the 7 to the bottom left to secure the series at 2-0. Puff I returned to a two-turn strategy in game 3, making a four-ball run from the break and cleaning up the 7 at the top left after Rainmane's pair of shots ended with a bad miss. Puff I took the series in a 3-0 sweep, and she'll bring in Pronger Tridents captain Precious in the third round.

Intel Center, Diamond: Smokey v. Hoppy. The red cue gets another look in Rotation as a captain takes on a sophomore. Pairs of shots were the preferred method of scoring in game 1, with Southern's Hoppy staking out a lead with two pairs early on. Diamond's Smokey rallied back to tie, and things slowed down, with Smokey ultimately taking two of the last three shots for an 8-7 win and 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Smokey went into uncharted territory with a three-ball run to lead off game 2, and the Monarchs' Hoppy never really got close enough to pose a threat this time. Smokey didn't go at a great pace, but chipped his way to an 8-3 win to clinch the series at 2-0. Smokey had an uneven start in game 3, and Hoppy exploited this with a five-ball run to take a large lead. Hoppy capped the win with a shot on the 8 on her next turn, good for an 8-2 win. Smokey took the series 2-1, and will visit the Boston Swifts' Puff II in the third round.

Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Niki. Two good players clash in Accuracy with the silver cue. Boston's Gradley made a ball on the break, but he had no traction in game 1 after that, slipping behind Commerce's Niki, who played quite well to win 1-4. Niki is up 1-0 in the series. The Swifts' Gradley battled perfectly with the Tradewinds' Niki until the last two balls of the game, where he missed twice. Niki missed on her last shot as well, settling for a 1-2 win to clinch the series at 2-0 after another thrilling performance. Niki didn't have her best performance in game 3 by any means, but she managed to force Gradley into a tie that held up for overtime. Both players missed on their first shot in the extra rack, and then Gradley missed again to give Niki a 4-5 win and 3-0 series sweep. Niki will return home to host an Urban rival as the Westside Rockers' Midnight is the visitor in her third round series.

Kraft Forum, Royal: Nightfur v. Ms. Puppy. A captains' battle is up, as the two leaders meet in 9-ball with the silver cue. Things started slowly in game 1, but picked up as Modernistic's Ms. Puppy made a three-ball run. Royal's Nightfur didn't stay down for long, striking on a four-ball run-out to take the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Nightfur received a great opportunity to pick up the win late in game 2, but her burst of offense ended with a miss on the 9. The Union's Ms. Puppy poked it to the top right to snag the win, tying the series at 1 despite not having her best performance in the first two games. Nightfur had good offense in the middle of game 3, trying to redeem herself from the previous loss, but she missed on the 7 and Ms. Puppy made a three-ball run-out from there to take the win. Ms. Puppy won the series 2-1, and will visit the Maplewood Lumberjacks' Whiskers in the third round.

Ford Forum, Pronger: Zach v. Lorde. The red cue returns to action as these younger players meet in 10-ball. Quick exchanges of short runs were the way to go in game 1, with the balanced effort eventually tipping to favor Pronger's Zach as he made the last two shots to beat Capital City's Lorde for a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Zach had a bad break in game 2, and it brought all offense to a halt. The Sharpshooters' Lorde tried to do a 1-2-10 combination from ball-in-hand at one point, but it failed. Zach soon picked up the pace, double-potting the 1 and 5 to the right corners, and he won two shots later with a 4-10 combination to the bottom right. Zach secured the series at 2-0. Lorde did nearly everything right on her only turn in game 3, making an eight-ball run but illegally potting the 8 on an uncalled shot. Zach replied with a 9-10 kick combination, falling in the called bottom right to give him the win and a 3-0 series sweep. Zach will next host the Victoria Spurs captain Spice in round three.

Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Hoppy v. Valencia. A sophomore takes on a respected captain for 15-ball with the red cue. Southern's Hoppy had the better of play in a mild game 1 battle. Golden's Valencia had her moments, but Hoppy had a couple of short runs, and Hoppy banked the 15 to the bottom right for the win at the end. Hoppy leads the series 1-0. Both players had three-ball runs early and late in game 2, but the Monarchs' Hoppy still seemed the most confident. The Pilots' Valencia could have won at the end, but she missed on the 15, and Hoppy tapped it in to seal the series at 2-0 with another win. Valencia had no patience left by the time game 3 got moving, so she put in a half-effort. Hoppy looked far more interested in earning the sweep, and she potted a 7-15 combination to the top right, but she also scratched, gifting Valencia a win. Hoppy took the series 2-1, and will host her third round series.

Intel Center, Diamond: Smokey v. Sydney Sierota. The silver cue steps back in for this 9-ball series. Diamond's Smokey had a strong game 1 start with a four-ball run from the break, but he couldn't get anymore after that. Harrison's Sydney took over in the latter half of the game, striking the 9 into the bottom left to win at the end for a 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Sydney kept game 2 along the right rail, making a five-ball run to start and a three-ball run-out on her second turn for a quick win against a punchless attack from the Gems' Smokey. Sydney clinched the series at 2-0 with the dominant win. Sydney butchered her game 3 performance, trying to get offense going multiple times but scratching on her last-ditch effort to keep up with Smokey. The host put the 9 in the top right, and Smokey's win gave Sydney only a 2-1 series win. Sydney will host the Whitewater Shores' Shaggy in the third round.

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Jennifer Livilotti v. Isabella. Two big-name players clash in 7-ball with the red cue. Terrace City's Jennifer scratched on the game 1 break, but Atlantic's Isabella failed to build momentum off of that moment. The two scrapped early on, and Jennifer emerged with a three-ball run-out for the win in the end, giving her a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Jennifer still looked like the better play in game 2 despite another scratch on the break. The Pirates' Isabella had nearly no offense, and Jennifer had a late four-ball run, but she scratched as she banked the 7 into the top right diagonally across the table. This gifted Isabella the win to tie the series at 1. Isabella scratched on the break in game 3, and she had the dominant share of offense with a three-ball run, but she missed on the 7 and Jennifer tapped it in the grab the 2-1 series win. Jennifer will host the Eastside Sharks' Chelsea in the third round after this narrow series win.

Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Rudolph v. Cowzart. A rookie and a returnee square up for 12-ball with the silver cue. Harrison's Rudolph had a strong performance in game 1, a three-ball run in the middle pulling him ahead of Westside's Cowzart. Rudolph shut things down when Cowzart couldn't get a big run at the end, giving the host a 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Rudolph started a bit slower, but his four-ball run on his second turn gave him a lead. The Rockers' Cowzart had no response to that, and Rudolph made a quick finish, bouncing the 14 off the 10 to drop it in the top left before sending the 10 itself to the bottom left for the win and 2-0 series lead. Rudolph scratched on the break in game 2, but that didn't discourage him. He had a lucky bounce on one of his later shots, helping him to set up for his final ball, and with no pressure from Cowzart, Rudolph converted. Rudolph took the series in a 3-0 sweep, and he will visit the Freedom Cascades' Nikolai in the third round.

Kraft Forum, Royal: Kayla v. Bright. The blue cue's only appearance comes after a break, playing Rotation. Royal's Kayla started very slowly, watching Pearl's Bright take a three-ball run on his first turn. Kayla would briefly take a lead in the middle of the game, but Bright shot back on a four-ball run-out for the 8-5 win and 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Bright got into a much tougher battle in game 2, as the Crowns Kayla traded shots with him throughout the early parts of the game. With the game tied, Bright erupted for a three-ball run-out in the end, winning 8-5 again to secure the series at 2-0 after a hard-fought game. Bright actually seemed to have the easiest time at the start of game 3, but he couldn't find a finishing touch, and Kayla rallied all the way back with five balls over her last two turns to win 8-7. Bright settled for a 2-1 series win, and he'll visit the Southridge Defenders' Bianca in the third round. Kayla is the seventh player eliminated from the Tournament (a shocking turn of events after her positive first round), and Bright has his first kill.

BMW RockDome, Westside: Goatee v. Solaris. A seasoned veteran meets a hotshot sophomore for 12-ball with the red cue. Game 1 started pretty well, particularly for Infinity's Solaris, but it reached a massive standstill when each player had three balls to pot. Westside's Goatee came out of it better, managing to finish the game just ahead of Solaris for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Solaris showed a lot more quality in game 2, pinning the Rockers' Goatee on defense almost immediately. Goatee couldn't make a shot either, and Solaris easily won in a shutout to tie the series at 1. Solaris needed only three turns in game 3 despite giving Goatee a wild-card ball on the break. Solaris made a pair of shots on every turn, working around the table efficiently to pick up the win for a 2-1 series win. Solaris will travel to Modernistic to face the Union's Daisy in the third round.

Google Hall, Modernistic: Daisy v. Sierra. The 300th series of the second round is also today's last, as we play Rotation with the silver cue to close things up. Todavía's Sierra handled a difficult game with plenty of veteran poise, making shots when she could to keep Modernistic's Daisy down. Sierra ultimately took the win by an 8-3 score, good for a 1-0 series lead. Things did not get better for the Union's Daisy in game 2, as most of her clear shots ended up in scratches or misses, leading to about half of the offense produced by the Stills' Sierra, who won again by an 8-3 score. Sierra's win clinched the series in her favor at 2-0. Game 3 saw Daisy pop out to an early before Sierra made six balls over two turns to put herself on the brink of victory. Daisy would not go quietly, winning 8-7 on a three-ball run-out. Sierra took the series 2-1, and will visit a Coastal rival, the Oceanside Waves' Josie, in the third round.

That's all for the condensed three-game-days-in-two-days routine .We're back to a normal schedule tomorrow for multiple reasons.

Tournament 2018 - Round 2 Day 24

This day of games will be split over Wednesday and Thursday; a separate segment in its own right without extending the two days around it. We begin on Wednesday evening with...

Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Wild Thing v. Violetta. The red cue is first up, playing 9-ball in this series. Archtown's Wild Thing put up a strong defensive effort in game 1, but a scratch in the middle of the game let Queens' Violetta attack freely. Violetta ripped a five-ball run-out, easily taking the win and 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Violetta had all the offense in game 2, a powerful attack and a three-ball run-out with a double-pot of the 6 to the top left and 9 to the bottom right at the end giving her the win. The Arrows' Wild Thing is down 2-0 in the series. Wild Thing had a good double-pot of the 4 and 6 at the left corners, but he scratched on the play, and Violetta took another win with a three-ball run-out. Violetta's 3-0 series sweep puts her into the third round, where she'll visit the Pronger Tridents' Precious.

Sprint Hall, Victoria: Sage v. Pedey. The Yellow Derby gets a Tournament twist as these players do Rotation with the silver cue. Victoria's Sage battled with Diamond's Pedey early in game 1, as Pedey kept things close for awhile. Sage took off with a three-ball run-out at the end, good for an 8-2 win and 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Pedey had a nice four-ball run in game 2, overcoming a good start from the Spurs' Sage with that attack. Pedey then held Sage off for an 8-5 win in the end, tying the series at 1 to set up a decisive final game. Pedey started slowly in game 3, but caught up to both of Sage's surges of offense. Pedey's second rally ended up being a full comeback, as he used a four-ball run-out with a bank of the 15 to the top right to win 8-7. Pedey took the series 2-1, and will return home to host the Terrace City Knights' Jennifer in the third round.

Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Juno v. Klaus. This venue is busy with three of the next four series, this one an Eastern Hills derby in 7-ball with the blue cue. Atlantic's Klaus was millimeters from victory in game 1, but the 7 hung on the edge of the top right to end his three-ball run. Stonebridge's Juno tapped it in for the win, taking a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Juno blew her cool in game 2, steaming over a long sequence of missed shots. The Pirates' Klaus didn't immediately take advantage, but he potted the last two balls to earn the win, tying the series at 1 in the process. Juno had her moments in game 3 as well, but Klaus seemed cooler under pressure, and he made a three-ball run-out, finishing with a deft touch off of the 6 to push the 7 to the top right for the win. Klaus took the series 2-1, and will host the Commerce Tradewinds rookie Rosemary in the third round.

FedEx Arena, Eastside: Cubby v. Nikolai. Down south, future club-mates collide in 12-ball with the silver cue in another Eastern Hills Derby. Freedom's Nikolai started strong in game 1, pacing himself to a decent lead before Eastside's Cubby caught up. Cubby then had a stick foul, and Nikolai made a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Nikolai had a four-ball run from the break in game 2, but he couldn't strike again, and the Sharks' Cubby used a three-ball run and his wild-card ball flexibility to gain the lead. Cubby won two turns later with a pair of shots to tie the series at 1. Cubby and Nikolai engaged in a brutal battle in game 3, neither player getting their preferred positioning most of the time. It took a late contact foul for Nikolai to be able to make his last ball for the win and 2-1 series win. Nikolai will be the host in his third round series.

Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Cobalt v. Puff I. The host begins a home doubleheader with 15-ball played with the blue cue. Stonebridge's Cobalt had a strong game 1, controlling if not dominating possession. Modernistic's Puff I got some shots in, but Cobalt won with a four-ball run-out, good for him to take a 1-0 series lead. The Union's Puff I made a small step up in game 2, infringing on the offense of the Wolves' Cobalt. Puff I used a little extra defense and a little more attack to pick up the win, never really developing a run but still converting on the 15 when she needed to. The series is tied at 1. Both players picked up the pace in game 3, with offense all over the table and frequent possession changes. Puff I ended up with the win, taking a six-ball run-out at the end to conquer Cobalt again for the 2-1 series win. Puff I will host Pacific Volcanoes captain Starlight in the third round.

Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Cobalt v. Charli XCX. We reach the day's split-point, as Wednesday's last series is Rotation with the red cue. Tysini's Charli had a strong game after overcoming an early spurt from Stonebridge's Cobalt. Charli rallied to the win with a five-ball run-out for an 8-3 score and a 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Charli pulled in a big run at the start of the game, and added to it on her next turn. The Wolves' Cobalt wouldn't go quietly, overcoming that whole deficit only to see Charli make a pair of shots to win 8-6 in the end. Charli clinched the series at 2-0 with this win. Cobalt avoided the sweep with a fantastic effort in game 3, rallying after a slow start to ultimately beat Charli by an 8-2 score this time. Charli took the series 2-1, and will visit the Central Warriors' Wings in the third round.

Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Sparkles v. Rudolph. On Thursday, we pick up again with Rotation and the silver cue. Golden's Sparkles played from behind for most of game 1, covering an early deficit but unable to stall Harrison's Rudolph near the end of the game. Rudolph potted the 14 to the top right on a slight masse shot for the 8-6 win and 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Sparkles had a renewed effort in game 2, showing up much stronger on offense with a four-ball run early in the game. The Specters' Rudolph tried to rally back later, but scratched on the 9, and Sparkles made a 9-12 combination from ball-in-hand for the 8-2 win to tie the series at 1. Sparkles and Rudolph battled closely, although Rudolph gained a large lead by double-potting the 9 and 13 at the left corners. Sparkles made a rally but also scratched, only to stay alive when Rudolph missed his first chance to win. Sparkles tied the game but also missed the winner at the top right, and Rudolph finally put the 15 in the bottom left to win 8-7 for a 2-1 series win. Rudolph will host the Queens Flames captain Crystal in round three.

Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Lorde v. Pedey. The silver cue remains in action for a series of 12-ball. Capital City's Lorde showed off smooth skills in game 1, answering one early shot from Diamond's Pedey with a four-ball run, and then getting enough positioning to win two turns later with a pair of shots. Lorde leads the series 1-0. The Sharpshooters' Lorde kept up her swift attacking pace in game 2, taking the sides quickly and converting on her later shots as they were presented. The Gems' Pedey attempted a late run, but came up short, and Lorde made a pair of shots to get the win for a 2-0 series lead. Lorde had a sloppy break that saw her surrender a wild-card ball to Pedey. Lorde never really recovered from this, keeping pace with Pedey but taking the loss when Pedey exploited his flexibility for the win. Lorde took the series 2-1, and will host the Atlantic Pirates' Max in the third round.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Boots v. Marsell. The blue cue comes back to the table for the first half of an 8-ball doubleheader at this venue. Pearl's Boots could not keep her shots legal during game 1, and a stick foul by contacting the 7 with the cue led to Whitewater's Marsell unleashing a five-ball run-out for the win. Marsell holds a 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Marsell struck a bit earlier in game 2, pounding an early five-ball run to establish his lead. The Surfers' Boots covered the initial damage just in time for Marsell to pot the 8 in the bottom side, clinching the series at 2-0. Boots absolutely shredded Marsell in game 3 after the visitor scratched on the break. Boots finished her win on a four-ball run-out to avoid the sweep. Marsell took the series 2-1, and will host the Terrace City Knights rookie Quincy in the third round.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Bright v. Pauline. The other half of the doubleheader is in 8-ball with the silver cue. Pearl's Bright struck quickly in game 1, building up a nice lead. Capital City's Pauline nearly caught up after a questionable stick foul was called on Bright, but the host shut the door over the next two turns to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Sharpshooters' Pauline had a better start to her effort in game 2, making a sustained push throughout the game. The Surfers' Bright refused to be intimidated, maintaining a narrow lead and taking the 8 quickly at the end to secure the series at 2-0. Bright couldn't get his solids around an inconveniently-placed 8 in game 3. Pauline had much more success on offense, but she got the win when Bright illegally potted the 8 out of frustration. Bright did take the series 2-1, and will host Freedom Cascades captain Jasmine in the third round.

AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Jason V. v. Hannah. The silver cue stays on the coast for this Accuracy series. Oceanside's Jason had the lead for virtually all of game 1, as Queens' Hannah couldn't get comfortable with her shot at any point. Jason slipped in the middle a bit, but still won 3-8 for a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Jason took a step back in game 2 despite making a ball on the break, and the Flames' Hannah made an improvement, but neither instance was enough to flip the result. Jason held on in a sloppy finish for a 4-6 win to seal the series at 2-0. In game 3, Jason fell behind in the middle on just one miss. Hannah held on until she also missed late, but Jason elected to be happy with a 2-1 series win and avoided overtime with a late miss. Hannah converted for the 1-2 win. Jason heads to the third round and a road series against a Coastal rival when he faces the Todavía Stills' Bells.

Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Dusky v. Strut. The blue cue closes out the split day in 15-ball. Game 1 saw neither player take a firm grip on things. Golden's Strut had a particular flaw with scratching in his game, but his stronger overall offense helped him take the win away from Archtown's Dusky late for the 1-0 series lead. Proceedings remained close between the players in game 2, with a bit cleaner play this time. The Arrows' Dusky had her chances to strike as the game progressed, but she couldn't make the 14 to get onto the 15. The Pilots' Strut won with a deflected shot off the 14 to send the 15 to the top right for the win and 2-0 series lead. Dusky had her best effort in game 3, a five-ball run and a three-ball run pacing her offense this time. It didn't matter, as Strut made a three-ball run-out at the end, banking the 14 to the top side and the 15 to the bottom left on the last two shots for the win. Strut swept the series 3-0, and will visit the Todavía Stills' Bells in round three.

That's it for the split day. Tournament action continues immediately after posting time with Day 25 of the second round.