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.
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