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.
No comments:
Post a Comment