We'll play just eight series today to bring the third round to half-completion. Leading things off...
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Noelle v. Hannah. Two players having quietly successful seasons will battle in 12-ball with the blue cue. Central's Noelle gave Queens' Hannah a wild-card ball on the game 1 break, which helped to keep a slow game moving. At the end, Hannah tried to get positioning but ended up giving Noelle a wild-card ball. Noelle won on the next shot, taking a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Noelle had a cleaner break in game 2, but the Flames' Hannah emerged with a three-ball run early on. Noelle made a defensive play to stall Hannah on her last ball, but a later scratch ruined Noelle's plan. Hannah won two turns later, tying the series at 1. Noelle had the early offense in game 3, but Hannah played defense at the top left and top side. Hannah erupted for three balls over her last two turns to best Noelle, who couldn't quite make her last ball at the top side. Hannah holds a 2-1 series lead. Hannah had a decent break in game 4, but Noelle broke out on a quick burst of offense. Hannah played catch-up for most of the game, but Noelle's patient positioning paid off in the end, as she won to retie the series at 2. Noelle simply started better in game 5, while Hannah got split by shooting at medium-quality shots early in the game. Noelle closed it out from ball-in-hand after Hannah missed contact. Noelle won the series 3-2, and will be a visitor in the bracket quarterfinals.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Snuggle v. Watermelon. Coastal giants and captains of their teams meet in another 12-ball series, this one with the red cue. Oceanside's Snuggle had Pearl's Watermelon at a disadvantage from the start. Snuggle used good positioning and some veteran savvy to build a four-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Watermelon accidentally gave up a wild-card ball to the Waves' Snuggle in game 2. Watermelon buckled down defensively after that, and just had enough to time to beat Snuggle with both players on their last ball. Watermelon's timely win tied the series at 1. Watermelon struck first in game 3, and then engaged in a slow and meticulous battle with Snuggle, challenging positioning at every pocket. Watermelon was a step ahead all game, and eventually put the 12 in the bottom side for the win that gives her a 2-1 series lead. Snuggle had a four-ball run early in game 4 after Watermelon's bad break, but Watermelon charged back on a three-ball run and kept things close. Watermelon had better positioning in the end, able to sneak her way to a win that clinched the series at 3-1 in her favor. Watermelon had a slow start in game 5, while Snuggle recklessly scratched twice but still managed to overcome giving up a wild-card ball. Watermelon claimed the series at 3-2, and will host the Web City Spiders captain Shadow in another big series in the bracket quarterfinals. Snuggle exits the Tournament as the 37th player eliminated, while Watermelon earns her first kill of the season.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Slinks v. Stealth. Another pair of veterans is set to do battle, keeping the red cue up with a series of 8-ball. Swordpoint's Stealth made a big attack with a six-ball run in the middle of game 1, but Westside's Slinks met the challenge with a five-ball run-out for the win. Slinks is up 1-0 in the series. The Rockers' Slinks began with a five-ball run in game 2, which the Blades' Stealth matched save for a scratch on his last shot of the run. Slinks couldn't get a second run going, and Stealth pulled ahead, burying the 8 that Slinks couldn't make to take the win. Stealth has tied the series at 1. Stealth had the first good attack in game 3, a four-ball run that put him narrowly ahead after Slinks had chipped some shots in. Slinks countered with a big five-ball run-out a couple of turns later, getting the win to regain the series lead at 2-1. Slinks had a four-ball run early in game 4, but looked a bit more reserved in offense late in the game. Stealth fired up a six-ball run to put pressure on Slinks, but Slinks made her last two shots with ease to secure the series at 3-1. Stealth opened game 5 on a five-ball run, but had no chance to add to it later on, as Slinks made an eight-ball run-out on her second turn to take the win and a 4-1 series win. Slinks will be on the road in the bracket quarterfinals. Stealth is the 38th player to exit this Tournament, and Slinks has her first kill of the year.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Missy v. Ice Cream. The red cue's last appearance today is in 12-ball. Boston's Ice Cream had fortunate positioning and a good short run early in game 1, putting her comfortably ahead of Capital City's Missy. Ice Cream stayed patient before potting her last ball for the win and a 1-0 lead in the series. The Sharpshooters' Missy did well to claim stripes quickly in game 2, and she positioned herself better this time around. The Swifts' Ice Cream kept a consistent pace, but was too slow to stop Missy's three-ball run-out in the end, which tied the series at 1. Missy delivered a lively break in game 3, but nothing fell. The two players botched positioning for awhile before Ice Cream burst forward with a five-ball run. Missy planned a counterattack but couldn't connect on the third shot, and Ice Cream walked away with the win on a final shot to regain the series lead at 2-1. Ice Cream ripped a four-ball run from the break in game 4, her high-paced offense beginning to wear down Missy. Defense was the only plan for Missy, who protected the bottom right for awhile. Missy then switched to positional defense late in the game, but Ice Cream narrowly outplayed her despite giving up an earlier wild-card ball. Ice Cream's win sealed the series in her favor at 3-1. Ice Cream continued to play aggressively in game 5, but she lacked a tone-setting run. Missy held on, using a wild-card ball for flexibility before turning in a three-ball run-out for the win. Ice Cream settled for a 3-2 series win, and she'll head back to Boston to host a bracket quarterfinals series.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Rainmane v. Kodiak. A strong veteran takes on a surprising rookie in 10-ball with the silver cue. Midland's Rainmane didn't have much on the game 1 break, and it took Modernistic's Kodiak awhile to find his four-ball run. Rainmane answered that with the final pair of shots for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Rainmane belted a five-ball run from the break in game 2, a surprising attack. The Union's Kodiak fired back with a few shots before a slow finish. Rainmane picked up the 10 on her third try to move ahead 2-0 in the series. Rainmane had an abysmal break in game 3, but still made a ball. Offense was hard to come by, especially for Kodiak, until Rainmane made a late three-ball run. Rainmane would pick up the 10 on a later turn, clinching the series at 3-0. Rainmane split the middle on her game 4 break, spreading but not potting anything. Kodiak kept his offense in check initially, but answered Rainmane's four-ball run with a three-ball run-out of his own, ending on a deflected shot off the 8 to put the 10 in the bottom right. Rainmane's series lead is cut to 3-1. Both players had three-ball runs early in game 5, and then exchanged shorter turns until Kodiak banked the 10 to the top right for the win. Rainmane settles for a 3-2 series win, and she will host the Central Warriors captain Twilight in a bracket quarterfinals series promising plenty of fireworks.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Cowzart. The blue cue finally returns to play this 9-ball series. Tysini's Leandra didn't do much early in game 1, allowing Westside's Cowzart to control the pace initially. Leandra took over when she saw the chance to win, burying a five-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Cowzart tried to be better in game 2, but illegally potting the 4 on a failed kick led to the Hummingbirds' Leandra sparking a five-ball run-out from ball-in-hand. The last three shots for Leandra were tap-ins as she extended her series lead to 2-0. Leandra went empty again on the game 3 break, and Cowzart didn't take much time to capitalize, burying the 2-9 combination to the top right on his second shot to earn the win, cutting the series deficit to 2-1. Cowzart and Leandra went back and forth in game 4, but Leandra came up with the win, burying the last two shots for the win to seal the series at 3-1. Leandra didn't show up all that well in game 5, as Cowzart controlled the offense and got the win with a pair of three-ball runs. Leandra took the series 3-2, and will host the Victoria Spurs' Yekaterina in the bracket quarterfinals. Cowzart is the 39th player eliminated in this Tournament, and Leandra has picked up her first kill.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Rudolph v. Crystal. The hosting rookie takes on a tough captain in Rotation with the silver cue. Harrison's Rudolph had a four-ball run from the break, building a large lead within two turns. Queens' Crystal fought back with her own four-ball run, and then tied it and won it on the next two turns, the 8-7 result putting Crystal up 1-0 in the series. The Flames' Crystal did start well with a pair of shots from the break, but the Specters' Rudolph answered over time to tie things up. Crystal couldn't find a run, and Rudolph exploded with deflected shots and fortunate bounces on a five-ball run-out to win 8-3. Rudolph's fun run tied the series at 1. Crystal had another strong start in game 3, taking the early lead. Rudolph's scratches got in the way for him early on, but he stayed clean on his five-ball run-out, winning 8-5 this time to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Crystal refused to go quietly in game 4, answering Rudolph's pair of balls on the break immediately. Crystal continued to battle with the host, and got the upper hand with a three-ball run. Rudolph made a halfhearted late push, but Crystal secured the win at 8-5, retying the series at 2. Game 5 proved to be a massive fight, as all of the offense from before drained into a tight and tense game. Crystal pulled ahead on a pair of shots just after midway, and Rudolph then lost control with a pair of errors that allowed Crystal to win 8-5. The series also went to Crystal by a 3-2 margin, sending her into a visiting position in the bracket quarterfinals.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Slinks v. Shaggy. The third round hits its midway point in this 10-ball series with the blue cue. Westside's Slinks had most of the early offense, most notably a five-ball run. Whitewater's Shaggy did not get discouraged, burying a three-ball run-out at the end to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Shaggy didn't push much on offense in game 2, allowing the Rockers' Slinks to play patiently. Slinks kept quiet early on, but timed her finishing five-ball run-out perfectly this time, grabbing the win to tie the series at 1. Slinks left the 10 a bit too close to the top right from her early shots in game 3. Both players took potshots at deflection and combination plays, but it was Shaggy who made the 5-10 to the top right for the win and a 2-1 series lead after Slinks failed to put the 5 in a safer spot. Slinks had too many errors in game 4, especially in the later stages, and this allowed Shaggy to piece together a staggered but successful winning effort. Shaggy clinched the series at 3-1 with this win. Slinks showed a bit more persistence in game 5, pushing on Shaggy's late three-ball run with a pair at the end. Slinks did pick up the win, but Shaggy advances on a 3-2 series win to put herself in the bracket quarterfinals.
Tomorrow, we likely return to 10 series as we begin the second half of the round.
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