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.
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