A new day for pool is here, with another standard set ready to fill the afternoon. We begin with...
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Fuchsia v. Shiny. The red cue gets the first series in 8-ball today. Midland's Fuchsia made one of each suit on the game 1 break, choosing stripes as she built a five-ball run. Web City's Shiny caught up a bit with a four-ball run, but Fuchsia found a three-ball run-out at the end to propel her to the win. Fuchsia leads the series 1-0 early on. The Spiders' Shiny had a better performance in game 2, while the Predators' Fuchsia saw a more wild and inconsistent effort for herself. Fuchsia had a chance at the 8, but she scratched, and Shiny made a pair of shots for the win to tie the series at 1. Fuchsia couldn't make a shot in game 3, watching as Shiny made short runs all around the table. Fuchsia got the miracle she needed at the end though, as Shiny had illegal contact while potting the 8, gifting Fuchsia the win for a 2-1 series win. Fuchsia will welcome another Spider, the captain Shadow, in the third round.
Intel Center, Diamond: Cassandra v. Watermelon. A returnee meets a veteran in 7-ball, also played with the red cue. Diamond's Cassandra struck quickly in game 1, sending the 7 initially left of the rack before a heavy deflection sent it to the bottom right corner for the win and a 1-0 series lead over a stunned Pearl co-captain Watermelon. The Gems' Cassandra had a ball on the break in game 2, and added another before the Surfers' Watermelon took her first shots. Watermelon missed on the troublesome 2 after making the 3 on a deflection. Cassandra also missed on the 2, but her decoy shot sent the 7 into the bottom right and double-potted the 4 to the top right to avoid a scratch. Cassandra's tricky finish gave her a 2-0 series lead. Cassandra did not play her best in game 3, struggling early and ceding a four-ball run to Watermelon after that, but Watermelon missed a tough cut on the 7 and Cassandra put it down to earn the 3-0 sweep. Cassandra will have a visiting role in the third round.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Twinkie I v. B. Chapman. The blue cue's only appearance today comes in 12-ball. Pacific's Twinkie I had a hot start in game 1, making a ball on the break and getting a couple of favorable bounces. North Modernistic's Chapman tried to position herself more favorably, but she actually set up Twinkie I's last two shots, which went without trouble as the host earned a 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Twinkie I showed some quality in a much sloppier game 2 performance. The Nighthawks' Chapman had Twinkie I on the ropes for the game, but managed to get too aggressive on a set-up shot, which saw Chapman had Twinkie I the series win at 2-0 as Twinkie I's last ball went down on Chapman's shot. Chapman provided some positional challenges to Twinkie I in game 3, but Chapman's best chance at the win ended on a scratch. Twinkie I got a bit lucky to kick her last ball to the top side, but it worked anyway, giving her a 3-0 series sweep and a hosting position in the third round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Debby Ryan v. Citrus. The red cue returns to action in 15-ball. Diamond's Citrus executed a perfect 14-15 spinning kick combination in game 1, with only a single flaw: it came via illegal contact, as she was trying to hit the 5 instead. The folly gave Southridge's Debby a surprisingly quick win for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw a few more short runs and not much other offense in a fast moving game. The Gems' Citrus kept her shots cleaner this time, but twice missed on the 15, and the Defenders' Debby finished the game with a tap-in on her second try at the 15. Debby clinched the series at 2-0 with the somewhat sloppy ending. Debby had her best finish of the series in game 3, piecing together a six-ball run-out to defeat Citrus this time, earning a 3-0 series sweep in the process. Debby will visit the Archtown Arrows' Sally in round three.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Precious v. Ted. The silver cue gets its first look of the day in a 12-ball series. Pronger's Precious did well early in game 1, striking fast to put Web City's Ted on his toes. Ted bounced back with a four-ball run, but Precious had better positioning late in the game and converted a three-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Precious made one of each suit on the game 2 break, but couldn't sustain her offense as positioning was out of order. The Spiders' Ted used the flexibility to his advantage, and picked out the bottom left for the win after sending Precious' defense to the wrong pocket. Ted's heady win tied the series at 1. Ted tried to keep a lead in game 3, but he couldn't get his last ball out of range of the top right, thanks to Precious playing thorough defense. Precious took the last two shots after Ted illegally potted his last ball, and Precious won the series 2-1. Precious will travel to Harrison to face the Specters' Lexi in the third round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Shadow. Two strong captains battle it out in Accuracy with the red cue. Web City's Shadow had an unfortunate start to game 1, falling behind with misses on his first two turns. Atlantic's Delila faltered a bit late, but not enough to put the result in doubt as she won 2-6 for a 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Delila stayed on course in game 2, keeping a good form to her play, while the Spiders' Shadow made great improvements from his previous effort. Shadow did not do enough, missing a late shot to give Delila a 1-2 lead she carried to the finish to secure the series at 2-0. Delila tried to hold on early in game 3, but she spiraled out of control with her misses this time. Shadow just managed to gain and hold the lead at the end, winning 4-5 to make it a 2-1 series win for Delila. This leaves Delila to host the Capital City Sharpshooters' Lorde in the third round.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Gal Gadot v. Smokey. The red cue gets another series, playing in 8-ball. Diamond's Smokey had an excellent start in game 1, making a lot of offense early. North Modernistic's Gal tried to counter the attack later on, but she opened a route for Smokey to finish with a win and a 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Gal lived dangerously in game 2, allowing the Gems' Smokey a lot of possession early on again before shooting a pair of four-ball runs to claim the win for herself. Gal's bold late attack tied the series at 1. Gal scratched on the break in game 3, but what really doomed her was a four-ball run that put Smokey on the 8. Smokey missed on his first chance at the win, but converted the second after Gal's last ditch run fell short. Smokey picked up the series win at 2-1, and will face an Eastern Hills rival as he visits the Freedom Cascades' Stinky in the third round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Lize. Lighton gets a big doubleheader beginning in this 10-ball series with the silver cue. Lighton's Acorn had a firm start in game 1, a fantastic break pacing his early offense, but Pronger's Lize struck when Acorn missed the 3. Lize made it, then tapped a 4-10 combination to the top right for the 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Acorn had a ridiculous shot to win game 2 after a slow start from the Tridents' Lize. Acorn deposited the 1 in the top side, then cut the cue off the 2 to drive the 10 to the top right, a legal shot helping Acorn equalize the series at 1 game apiece. Acorn had a lot of offense in game 3, but he missed contact on the 7 late in the game. This proved costly, as Lize developed a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand to get the win and a 2-1 series win. Lize will go through to face the Todavía Stills rookie Anton in round three.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Spirit v. Acorn. The silver cue stays up for 8-ball as the doubleheader comes to a close in an all-Prestige series. Spirit cranked a five-ball run from the break in game 1, a positive start offset by Acorn's four-ball run. Spirit bounced back at the end, making the 8 when Acorn couldn't to earn the win and a 1-0 series lead. Spirit's offense failed her in game 2, as only Acorn could reliably make shots this time. Spirit tried to settle for strong defense, but this too failed, as Acorn was patient enough to bank the 8 to the bottom side for the win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 tested the patience of both players, as they combined for three scratches and felt the pressure of their divided fan-base upon them. Spirit eventually emerged with the tense win, going on with a 2-1 series lead to host another series in the third round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Hughbert v. Anton. The red cue returns to action for another 8-ball series. Todavía's Anton made the most of game 1, although his temper flared when Southridge's Hughbert shifted to a defensive strategy. Anton eventually did take the win for a 1-0 series lead after another sloppy 8-ball game. The Defenders' Hughbert had a five-ball run early in game 2, but he lost his cool after Anton left him with no clear shot. Hughbert sent the cue off the table, setting Anton up for a three-ball run-out by double-potting the 9 and 11 to the top right and the 8 in the top left. Anton secured the series at 2-0. Hughbert took the early lead in game 3, but he couldn't make this one stand either, slipping as Anton made a four-ball run. Anton made the 8 on a later turn, earning the 3-0 series sweep to put him into the third round.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: Strawberry v. Midnight. A more veteran series goes next, as the silver cue is set for some Accuracy. Victoria's Strawberry rebuffed all of the early dangers presented by Westside's Midnight, carrying a significant lead into a sloppy finish. Strawberry eventually put the last ball away to win 2-5, good for a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Midnight wouldn't be worked over so quickly in game 2, holding her ground excellently to keep the Spurs' Strawberry behind for most of the game. Midnight had a late moment of panic, but finished off the game for a 2-3 win to tie the series at 1 game apiece. Midnight went empty on the break in game 3, but managed to force Strawberry into a couple of misses late in the game, good enough for Midnight to win 1-2 for a 2-1 series win. Midnight will be the visitor in her third round series.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Dani v. Snuggle. A Coastal Derby in 9-ball ends today's games, the red cue in charge of the finale. Viewpoint Sound's Dani did well to start game 1, but faded in the middle. Oceanside's Snuggle had luck on his side, as his kick of the 7 clipped the top side but fell in the bottom side, allowing him to finish a four-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was a bit more back-and-forth, with one- and two-ball runs dominating the game. The Meteors' Dani came out on the right side of that, cutting the 9 to the top right after the Waves' Snuggle couldn't do it. The series is tied at 1 heading into the final game. Snuggle seemed to have a lot of possession in game 3 thanks to scratches from Dani, but Dani recovered at the end to make a three-ball run-out for the win. Dani took the series 2-1, and will play on into the third round.
That's it for today's action. We'll have some more tomorrow, following a similar schedule to today.
No comments:
Post a Comment